


Oneiri

by Oldine



Series: Birches Grow [10]
Category: Torchwood
Genre: F/M, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-25
Updated: 2017-03-25
Packaged: 2018-10-10 10:09:01
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 40
Words: 46,530
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10435353
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Oldine/pseuds/Oldine
Summary: The Oneiri are ancient creatures with power over sleep. A man is killed indoors by lightening. A serial killer dies from a sand embolism. Rhys Williams is missing. And the universe is coming apart. Can Torchwood save the world from alien technology, damage to the universe and ancient beings older than recorded time?





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This novella series has the last of my Jack/Gwen plot that may upset Ianto fans. I'm finishing it off and moving in a different direction. Please be patient with me. I am not doing anything bad to Ianto.

_ "Dreams are often most profound when they seem the most crazy." - Sigmund Freud _

 

** Old Warehouse; Cardiff, Wales **

** Saturday, April 19, 2020 **

 

Gwen Cooper suspected Jack sent her to investigate knowing it was a hoax. A group of teenagers created a robotic alien as a science project. Out of anger, jealousy or general stupidity, they released it and crashed a rave. By the time the police arrived, the drunk and/or high crowd had stampeded. Numerous injuries resulted. The rave sponsors intentionally disabled CCTV around the warehouse. Finding all of the injured took a lot of constables. Gwen wasted three hours tracking the teenagers and their fake alien. After resolving the fake threat, and getting robot schematics for Luc, she was debating how to pay Jack back.

“Let me drive you,” Andy Davidson said. “It’s dark. The neighborhood is bad.”

Gwen reminded herself that Andy knew she could handle herself. Her old partner was simply being kind. “Thanks.” She smiled. “I don’t mind the walk.”

The spring night was warm and quiet. After the rave chaos, Gwen figured anyone who wanted to avoid law enforcement had relocated. The only movement near the deserted commercial buildings was a dog across the street. It moved oddly, sniffing the air and looking around. Before Gwen could decide if she needed to call in about a strange animal, she heard a sound. The faint, muffled thumping made the hairs on her arms stand up. She tapped her ear com while looking around.

“Have fun?” Jack sounded amused.

“I'm blocks from the rave. Where are you?”

“The pub with Ianto.” The humor faded.

Another similar noise caught her attention. It sounded human. The type of muffled sounds a person might make if they were restrained. “Get here. Now.”

She switched on her six-cell Maglite and started checking the doors and windows of the nearest building. The glass was filthy and cracked. A temporary patch was years old. The adjacent alley had a rusting dumpster, piles of litter and smelled like old chemicals.

The dog barked an eerie sound. Gwen turned as a man approached quietly on the sidewalk. He had a look in his eyes. It reminded her of a human cannibal she dealt with during her first year with Torchwood. She didn’t have time to draw her gun before he grabbed for her. She kicked, aiming for his knee. He dodged her foot and slammed her into the wall. She slammed her Maglite into his side. When he lost his grip, she kneed him in the groin. When he leaned forward from impact, she brought the heavy torch down on his back, and he went down.

With leftover zip ties from chasing freaked out ravers, she restrained him. Then she reached for her mobile. Jack would get there as soon as he could. Andy was probably closer. The man needed a police escort to the A&E. She highly doubted attacking her was the worst of his offenses.

“Everything all right?” Andy asked.

“No. I’m good. But a man attacked me. He needs an ambulance.”

“Where are you?”

“A couple blocks from the rave. I parked behind the original barricade, and haven’t reached my car. I was trying to figure out a sound when he attacked. Can you find a few constables?”

“Yeah. What sound?”

The fist on glass was easily identifiable. “There is at least one person trapped in this building. When I walked by, I heard thumping. He or she is now hitting a window.”

“Put your back to a wall. Give me five minutes.”

Gwen couldn’t help but think of all that had changed since she met Andy Davidson. The situation would have surprised her then. Now she was simply relieved it wasn’t a Weevil, Hoix or worse. A human with bad intentions she could easily manage by herself.

Good to his word, the constables arrived in less than five minutes. A search of the immediate areas was quickly under way. Jack and Ianto arrived about the same time as the first ambulance. The senior constable was on the phone with the station about legal access to the building when the woman broke the glass she’d previously pounding on. Andy had thought to ask for two ambulances and the second one arrived as the constables secured the building.

“Are you all right?” Ianto asked quietly as Jack spoke to Andy.

“Yeah.”

“Is this case ours?”

“No.” Gwen wondered about the dog. 

Jack walked over after a longer than expected conversation. More constables arrived. Which suggested there was more to the case than she already knew. With a suspect in custody, and the victim safe, they didn’t need more people. She could see changing people out after the long rave search. But no one was preparing to leave.

“What happened?” Gwen asked.

Jack set a hand on her shoulder. “One of the constables has a brother at Scotland Yard. He recognized very specific details from his brother’s last rant. They got close to a multiple murderer and the case went cold.”

Gwen exhaled sharply. “He relocated to Cardiff.”

“There are three missing women from this area,” Ianto said. “I checked in the car.”

“It’s not our case,” Jack emphasized. “Time to go home.”

 

Icelus joined his brothers waiting in an alley away from the growing crowd of humans. The dog transformed into a man. The animal form made being perceived by humans in the mortal world easier. Relying on the humans to find, rescue or protect the dreamers angered him. 

“Is Mari safe?” Morpheus worried. His brother loved the young woman. She didn’t fear his true form. A rarity among even enlightened humans.

“Yes. The police have Pierro in custody,” Icelus replied.

Morpheus nodded. “When they remove his protection, I will deal with him.” 

“How do we repay the woman?” Phantasos asked. “She did not have to help Mari.”

Icelus assured, “We will find a way.” 

“She has a strong mind,” Morpheus commented. “A friend in law enforcement would help.”

Icelus agreed. Being able to contact someone directly with information would help protect their power source. Their enemies didn’t understand what they were facing. They used devices to shield their minds from their victims’ abilities. The woman wanted to protect other people and did not have their limitations. She would be very useful.


	2. Chapter 2

** Hughes Flats; Cardiff, Wales **

Gwen Cooper entered the kitchen and a moment of sanity. Rex called after 3 AM asking for information on the serial killer she encountered after the rave situation. Trefor woke from a nightmare after 5 AM. She would have to talk to the general again, although he insisted he didn’t have nightmares. Anwen had a headache; she probably needed to stay home again. She kissed Rhys while he made breakfast. 

“I was thinking.” Rhy stood at the stove. “We should run away from home.”

Gwen laughed. 

“There is this new bed-and-breakfast on the coast. Balconies, French doors and a view of the water.”

“Aren’t you romantic? What brought this on?”

“I was thinking about our anniversary. We could have a second honeymoon.”

That sounded wonderful. She had no idea how they would manage it. 

“Ianto doesn’t mind watching the kids. I asked.”

“We asked to much of him already.” Somehow she doubted Ianto would say anything. 

“You could suggest Jack take Ianto somewhere for their anniversary. I don’t think Ianto will ask.”

She wasn’t sure about Ianto babysitting anymore than he already did, but she would say something to Jack. Ianto had been through a lot, and was coping better than any of them could expect. A holiday celebrating their anniversary would lessen his stress and any lingering relationship anxiety.

“Mum.” Anwen walked into the kitchen.

Gwen didn’t need to ask. From the sound of her voice, Anwen had a full-blown migraine. The pale skin and pained expression said it was bad. “Can you handle the routine?” If Trefor knew she was sick, he’d refuse to go to daycare. 

“Yeah. He’ll worry if I don’t.”

Her children often impressed her. They could be cranky, demanding and selfish, but never at each other’s expense. Anwen would ride with her brother to daycare. Ianto would take her to the hub afterward for a medical scan and rest. Trefor wouldn’t be happy when he found out at the end of the day. He generally enjoyed daycare, but his sister was more important. 

 

Anwen Williams took the effort to walk with Ianto into Trefor’s school. The light was killing her. Hiding the migraines from her brother was getting harder as he got older. The fact that she also had a nose bleed made it worse. She told him she had a runny nose and kept him from the seeing the tissue.

“You need to call Uncle Jack and asked him to check the Rift activity sensors,” Anwen said after they returned to the car. “Something got passed me about an hour ago.”

Ianto grabbed his mobile from a cup holder. “Do you know what?”

“No.” Anwen pulled her baseball cap as far over her eyes as she could. “So not a ship or an alien I’m familiar with or debris.”

“You don’t have a cold.”

“No.”

Ianto kept checking the rear-view mirror for the rest of the drive. She couldn’t blame him. If she looked half as bad as she felt, she probably scared him. Her mum generally handled the headaches better. The nose bleed and the Rift information would have freaked her out. Uncle Jack would tell her as soon as she got to the hub. At least her dad and Trefor didn’t know. It would have ruined their day.

“Are you warm?”

“No.” She wasn’t dying or headed for a coma. “I’m dizzy.” 

“We will be at the hub soon.”

Anwen kept the retort to herself. She knew where they were and how long it would take to get to the garage. What she didn’t know was how it got passed her and why her head hurt so much. She hadn’t connected with the Rift. Although she wondered if it was automatic when something broke through.

Against her objections, Ianto insisted on carrying her into the hub. Her mum waited in the infirmary. From her expression, she wasn’t happy. Anwen decided being carried meant her mother wouldn’t be as loud. At least until the headache passed. She could appreciate that.

 

** Torchwood Three **

Ianto Jones’ mobile rang as he headed for his office from the infirmary. He recognized the number, and couldn’t think of a single reason the general would call. “Hello.”

“Hey.” Nessa sounded amused.

“You stole the general’s phone?”

She laughed. “He’s tied up at the moment.”

Ianto shook his head. “I don’t want to know.”

Her voice changed. “We got a system notification. Is Anwen all right?”

“Yep.”

Ianto heard an indistinct voice in the background. “What happened?”

“Jack’s working on that. Something got through the Rift. Anwen has a headache and nose-bleed.”

“Hold on,” Nessa said.

After a couple minutes, the general asked, “How did something get passed Anwen?” 

“No idea. Call Jack.”

“Everything all right?” Nessa asked.

Ianto kept from sighing. “Long morning.” He had a bad dream the night before. The first one in weeks. 

“Nightmares?”

“Yeah.” It was easier to dodge the general. He was an arse. 

Nessa meant well. “Stress will do that.” 

“I’m tired.”

“I have some unsolicited advice, Ianto. Socialize.”

He wasn’t sure he wanted to know what she meant. “I need sleep.”

Clicking computer keys came over the line. “There is a social club in Cardiff. Meet other people. A couple activities a month. It specifies no hook-ups.”

“What are you suggesting?” Ianto asked hesitantly.

“That you and Jack socialize.” The amusement returned to her voice. “Flirt with women. Mingle. Give Jack an outlet so he doesn’t get into trouble.” Nessa logic. 

“Jack flirts with everyone. He doesn’t need encouragement.”

Nessa laughed. “It will help with the jealousy. Not to mention the sex.”

Ianto shook his head. “I need to get going.”

“I will email my suggestions,” she insisted.

Ianto shook his head. “Have fun tying the general back up.”

Nessa laughed more, ending the call.

Dating Jack was never boring. The older version of his son treated him like an intruder in his father’s life. Nessa had no problem giving sex advice for her boyfriend’s father. The strangest part Ianto suspected walking into his office was that it didn’t surprise him. Not after everything.


	3. Chapter 3

**Cardiff Docks; Cardiff, Wales**

Jack Harkness stepped from the Torchwood van. The medical examiner provided few details. A warehouse had some type of explosion. He got that much from the news. The reports didn’t indicate victims, but Dr. Guinevere Floyd’s involvement said at least one person was dead.

“Dr. Floyd didn’t explain?” Gwen asked again eying the fire engines.

“She said we needed to see it.”

The ME walked over from the nearby morgue vehicle. The older woman had zero tolerance for bureaucracy and inter-agency conflicts. Her current expression said someone tried her patience. After months, he finally tracked down her Doctors Without Borders records. Before working with the Hague, and encountering the Refuge in Kenya, she was known for staring down a gunman who pressed a gun barrel to her forehead.

“Mrs. Williams, Captain Harkness.”

“What happened?” Gwen asked.

“I have no idea. Luc will need to review this one.” Floyd motioned toward the building.

“It’s not a body?” Gwen followed Dr. Floyd down the road.

“The police brought in a robot from the bomb disposal unit. I suspect we will need the bots you used in repairing the Red Dragon Centre to enter the warehouse.”

A loading bay stood open. The first thing he noticed was the scorched concrete floor. The inner walls were melted. Rather than smoke, it smelled like molten glass. A table was set outside the bay with a monitor. Jack walked over. It showed a giant fulgurite with human remains embedded in it. The distinctive lightning strike pattern was obvious. The question, of course was how lightening struck the inside of a warehouse on a clear night.

“Is the roof intact?”

“Yeah.” Dr. Floyd nodded.

Gwen looked at the monitor. “That looks like a lightening strike pattern.”

“Lichtenberg figures.” Jack understood why the ME mentioned Luc. Jack had never seen fulgurite that large. It was possible a planet with massive storms could produce lightning that powerful. Nothing on Earth could. “Is anything in the area affected?”

“No. One of the firefighters said it looked like the lightning struck the center of the room. A police helicopter was used to photograph the roof. It’s not only intact, there is no external damage. Whatever happened was inside.” She motioned at the opened doorway. “The interior scorching appears to be massive electric discharge. Except the walls are intact and nothing burned.”

“Who's investigating?” Gwen asked.

“Torchwood.” Dr. Floyd smiled. “DC Cowley ordered the constables behind the barricade. He said ‘Captain Harkness can arrest Thor.’”

Jack couldn’t picture him saying that. “Witnesses?”

“A firefighter described it as an intense white light. He requested Geiger counters. The area has been cleared. No radiation.”

“I will look around.”

Jack nodded before flipping open his wrist-strap. He would need extensive scans and details for Luc. Most likely Luc would need to use one of the portal devices and evaluate the scene in person. Some phenomena needed to be seen firsthand. Luc’s difficulties with ideas outside mainstream science would complicate the investigation.

 

**Torchwood Three**

Anwen Williams woke in the infirmary feeling nauseated. She ran a medical scan on herself and then requested a comparison with previous scans. She didn’t understand the results, but there was some type of difference. She couldn’t sense Jack. She’d have to wait until he got back to translate.

“Computer, activate intercom.” The computer beeped. “Mum, Ianto, I need someone to come to the infirmary.”

“What happened?” Ianto asked. “I’m on my way.”

“I think I’m connected to the Rift. Something is wrong.”

“Stay on the cot.” She could hear him running.

It's not the Rift, a somehow familiar woman’s voice said. It’s time. There is something wrong with time.

“Who are you?” Anwen asked.

The essence in your wrist-strap.

“I don’t sense a time problem.” Anwen considered. “How do I fix it?”

I don’t know.

“Who would?”

Ask the general.

Anwen opened her wrist-strap. “General Trefor Williams.”

“Sis?”

“How can there be a time problem I can’t sense?”

“I don’t know.”

Ask Keara.

“Where is Keara?”

“She’s at the Refuge.” The general hesitated. “How do you know about Keara?”

 

**Cardiff Docks**

Gwen Cooper walked the length of the dock, staying back from the building. As she neared a dented garbage can, the hairs on her arms stood up. The can shimmered. She backed away slowly. When she heard the same unnatural bark that warned her of the killer walking up behind her, Gwen ran. The garbage can glowed white moments before it exploded outward.

The world buzzed like a swarm of bees and went black. When she opened her eyes, she laid in a beautiful field. Bright sun, warm air, and the smell of spring wildflowers danced on the wind. It seemed so real, yet it wasn’t. Something felt off.

“I’m dreaming.”

“Yes.” A hoarse-sounding man sat to her right. His image flickered. “You have an incredible mind, Gwen. The illusion will not last long. Please know, I am nothing so simple as a demon.” As he said that, his appearance change. Horns extended from his head. Feathery black wings shifted in the light wind. His eyes changed last, becoming a pale lavender.

“What are you?” Despite his appearance, she remained calm and unafraid.

“Complicated. I exist in the realm of dreams. It does not translate into your language.”

“What happened?”

“I don’t know. You were injured. You will survive.”

“I heard a dog.”

“Yes.” He nodded. “My brother. One brother foresaw your injuries. The other gave you a warning.”

“Why?”

“You saved Mari. For that we are grateful.”

The world shimmered. “What’s happening?”

“Your paramour is waking you.”

 

**Torchwood Three**

Jack Harkness carried Gwen into the infirmary and gently placed her on the cot nearest the door with the special equipment. Using his wrist-strap, he did a medical scan and activated the nanogenes. The results were promising. The electricity fused her clothes to her skin on one side and petrified part of her leg, for lack of a better description. It was reversible but would take the nanogenes time.

“Jack?” Gwen sounded weak.

“You will be all right.” He wanted to pat her hand, but it wasn’t a good idea with the nanogenes in her system.

The door opened and Ianto stepped in carrying a tablet. “Cardiff Dock has been evacuated. Luc is remote accessing the hub to review scans and monitor the situation.”

“You should be there, Jack.”

“No. We need to determine the problem.”

Ianto motioned him aside. “Rhys is picking up Trefor at school. He started screaming. Best guess is that Anwen passed out when the electricity hit Gwen. Trefor knows something happened.”

“Did you talk to the general?”

“I spoke to Nessa. The general contacted the Refuge after talking to Anwen. Nessa doesn’t know what’s going on.”

“Where’s Bree?”

“On the phone with London.”

“I spoke to a demon with beautiful eyes.”

Ianto looked over at Gwen. “How much pain medication did you give her?”

“None.”

“Go.” Ianto said, “I will stay here with them.”

Jack gave Ianto a quick hugged.


	4. Chapter 4

** Torchwood Three; Cardiff, Wales **

Ianto Jones couldn’t help but remember the conversation with Nessa. As his PTSD symptoms faded, Jack’s attention wandered. Seeing Jack hover over Gwen hadn’t caused an anxiety attack which meant he was making progress. It was his turn to be considerate. The only idea he had was Nessa’s socializing. It had to entertain Jack and be something he could handle. 

“Ianto.” Anwen’s quiet voice dragged him from his thoughts. “Will you send John a message through the hub? Tell him I’m sick.”

He couldn’t do anything for his love life at the moment. Anwen’s crush was simpler. “Do you want to record it?”

Anwen nodded.

One of the dedicated tablets would work. He doubted John would get the message. While his first thought was John wouldn’t care, from what he’d seen he did. The first time they met, John he shot Owen, left Gwen for dead and threw Jack off a roof. That wasn’t the same man who returned to Cardiff to protect the woman he loved as a child.

“How’s mum?”

Ianto pulled a chair over to Anwen’s bedside. “Sleeping.”

“Does Jack know mum has chronons? She didn’t earlier.”

 

Jack Harkness entered the conference room. Bree Nelson stood with her back to the door staring at the wall with a phone pressed to her ear. The woman who worked with war zone survivors and talked down a hostage-taker was finally showing herself.

“Then find another physicist, sir. Ours said what happened in that warehouse violates the Laws of Physics. Torchwood has the knowledge and experience to handle these types of situations.” She listened. “There is currently no evidence of a device. First responders were on-site for an hour before another incident. We are working to determine what happened.” Pause. “Mrs. Williams was returned to Torchwood for medical treatment. We’re like any other branch of law enforcement, we take care of our own.” She sighed and turned, realizing he was there for the first time. “Talking to Captain Harkness will not change the situation or Torchwood’s position. We can and will handle it.” She shook her head slightly. “If your science adviser has a better understanding of the situation that we do, sir, he can provide a detailed solution. We are the closest, most experienced response team.” She hesitated. “Mrs. Williams has extensive Torchwood experience. She…”

Jack tapped the speak phone option.

“She walked into a dangerous situation and got herself blown up,” Lonnell Wakeland said. The London bureaucrat had no military or law enforcement experience and was known for having a negative view on women in both fields.

“Mr. Wakeland,” Jack said. “Gwen Cooper Williams has more knowledge and experience than anyone London has to offer. She is still alive because of that experience. My people can and will handle the situation.”

“Captain Harkness, we have much to discuss.”

“No. Dr. Nelson is Torchwood’s community liaison. She can answer any questions you have.”

“I need firsthand information to have an understanding of what’s happening.”

“Then understand Torchwood is reviewing the situation and will resolve it.” He tapped the end call button.

Bree sighed and claimed a chair. “How’s Gwen?”

“Recovering.”

“I don’t know how she does it.” She shook her head. “Wakeland is a self-righteous arse. He called me your secretary, and implied...”

“He’s a fool.”

“Do you have any idea what your reputation is?”

Jack laughed. 

“It’s assumed anyone who works with you is sexually involved with you. That apparently includes anyone you regularly interact with in the community. Dr. Floyd thinks the rumors are hilarious. What I don’t understand is DC Cowley. It might explain his attitude toward Torchwood.” 

“I threatened to kiss him at the police station to get him to move.”

Bree stared at him a moment. “You’re serious?”

“Yeah.”

“No more threatening to kiss people.” Bree held her hands out in front of her. 

“I needed to get to Gwen. It was the quickest solution.”

Bree sighs. “Anything I should be doing? Media, PR, coordination?”

“Possibly. Ianto is in the infirmary with Gwen and Anwen. Rhys is bringing Trefor in after a problem at school. Someone needs to answer phones and monitor the system.” Jack set a hand over hers. “Office manager duties. Ianto is the only secretary I have.”

 

** Torchwood Four; Dublin, Ireland **

General Trefor Williams wondered at the situation. He’d seen fulgurite and even a Rift ability involving lightening. But this was new. He suspected there were things that happened when he was a child that the family kept from him. He’d never had a reason to care.

The general placed an ear com in his ear. The connection between Three and Four would mean minimal lag. One of the numerous things he didn’t understand. Nessa suggested the bond he shared with the younger versions of his sister and himself tied the facilities together. If that was possible, there were a lot of things he didn’t understand.

He tapped the com. “Jack?”

“Hey.” 

“The Refuge doesn’t know where the temporally challenged Keara is. The current Keara has offered to come, but is having nightmares so bad the Refuge may not let her.”

“Did you speak with Miriam?”

“Yeah.” He hesitated. “Miriam’s mad at me.”

“Why?”

He crossed a line he shouldn’t have. “I’m irresistible.”

Nessa laughed, walking into his office.

“You were involved with her?”

“Briefly.”

Nessa crossed the room and set a hand on his back.

Jack sighed. “Is that going to be a problem?”

“Not if I stay out of Kenya. The Refuge won’t let her leave.”

“Will Woodside in the Falklands give you information?”

“Possibly.” That was another situation he didn’t know how to approach. “I don’t know whose orders Woodside is following. Anwen, my Anwen, wouldn’t have affected our ability to access information. I can understand the initial issue with the hub and blocking your access. That was one of the Kearas controlling events.” He hesitated. “Did Ianto know Woodside at the Institute?”

“No.”

“Has anyone spoken to him directly?”

“Talbot. If we can believe him.”

“We need to get eyes on Woodside.”

“What are you thinking?”

“That either he’s not Donnell Woodside from this time or there is someone else in the Falklands manipulating events.”

“Do you have a suspect?”

“No.” 

“You need to figure it out.”

Nessa hugged him from the side. He wrapped an arm around her. “How’s mum and Anwen?”

“Recovering. Gwen’s injuries will take time for the nanogenes to repair.” Jack sounded upset. “We’re not sure what’s wrong with Anwen.”

“Send me copies of the medical scans.”


	5. Chapter 5

** Torchwood Nova Scotia; Truro, Nova Scotia, Canada **

Luc Sarkisian stood in the center of his lab with his arms crossed trying to puzzle out how to research the impossible. The first step in dealing with it was accepting he’d seen it. There were a limited number of ways to produce fulgurite. All involved strong electricity. Lightning was the most obvious and likely under most circumstances. It looked like lightning, except it couldn’t be.

Eryn walked over. “I have a couple potentially dumb questions.”

“Do they involve Thor, Zeus or divine wrath?”

She chuckled. “No.”

“Then ask.”

“There is a scientific idea about parallel universes?”

“Yeah.” String Theory offered the dream of solving the conflict between the Theory of Relativity and Quantum Mechanics. Depending on which scientist was asked, determined what String Theory or M Theory or whatever they called it involved.

“Is it like a wall? There is a universe on either side of a barrier?”

“I don’t know. String Theory is complicated and there is no current way to test it.”

“If a disruption like the device in the Red Dragon Centre car park and Torchwood Four occurred then maybe the wall cracked. The universes would be different, right? If we have a clear night over Cardiff here, maybe they’re having the mother of all storms there.”

Luc rubbed his face. “A storm in another universe produced lightning there and fulgurite here.” He shook his head.

“We know the man was struck by lightning or the electrical equivalent to lightening. It happened inside a building on a clear night. Gwen barely escaped being struck by similar energy on a clear day with no electrical source. Isn’t there something about Thermodynamics and creating energy?”

“Yeah. Energy can’t be created or destroyed.”

“We know it happened. A man is dead. Gwen is recovering from serious injuries. The energy had to come from somewhere. With no source here, we have to look somewhere else.”

“’Once you eliminate the impossible, whatever remains, no matter how improbable, must be the truth.’”

“Spock?”

“Sherlock Holmes originally.”

“I guess that makes me Dr. Watson. Where do we start, Sherlock?”

“Research. Everything we can find on lightening and fulgurites. Kailen can search the Internet. You and Aman can search for textbooks available on-line. We are going to have to read everything we can. If we get an idea what we’re looking for, Kailen can narrow the search.”

“I will call the local library and ask what they have. The librarian can tell me what’s local and what area libraries and universities have in related books.”

 

** Torchwood Four; Dublin, Ireland **

General Trefor Williams sat in his office reviewing Anwen’s latest medical details. With as much experience as he had reviewing her brain scans, he should have had an idea of what happened. He didn’t. The only certainty he had was something affected her in an unexpected way.

Malcolm Dove knocked on the open doorway. The quiet teenager was nothing like his sisters. From what he’d seen so far after his friend’s rampage in Belfast and his younger sister’s tantrum even after the CN was out of her system, he had the patience of a saint.

“Come in.”

“General Williams.”

“Trefor.” He corrected again. He figured the kid was intimidated rather than polite. 

“Nessa showed me your mother’s medical file.” Malcolm stepped into the office. “I understand Torchwood Three doesn’t have a doctor.” He hesitated. “I don’t have any idea what caused her injuries. But they’re not consistent with a lightning strike.”

The general set aside his tablet. “Explain.”

“Both electricity and lightning cause very specific damage. Your mother didn’t have Lichtenburg figures, she had fulgurite fused to her skin. That doesn’t happen. Luc would know how fulgurite forms, but it's not from skin and I doubt clothing. The fulgurite materials would have to come from whatever caused the injuries.”

Which made no more sense than anything else, but could explain the dead man. 

“Molly and I are going to a movie.”

“You need to keep her calm.”

“Yeah. It’s a romantic comedy.”

“Stay out of trouble.”

Malcolm chuckled. “Wrong Dove to worry about.”

The general wondered about his life sometimes. He had a girlfriend who understood him. Not just his views on sex and life, but who knew about Torchwood and his Rift ability. She’d been with him when he had to use it. His much younger girlfriend had an eighteen-year-old brother and a sixteen-year-old sister. Somehow he was stepping into a parental role. Under other circumstances, he’d say he was a bad role model. Compared to their parents, he was a saint. 

He hadn’t thought much about having kids. Near the end, before the time change in 2049, he doubted he’d live long enough. His issues with relationships and his father gave him a jaded view on starting a family. Having survived the war, time change and angering Miriam, things were looking up. He wondered how much Keara, any of them, intended. 

Calling Luc required using his mobile. 

“Sarkisian.”

“Trefor Williams at Four.” Using his military title felt ridiculous as there wasn’t a space fleet yet. “Were you sent details on my mother’s injuries?”

“No. How is she?”

“Recovering. Malcolm Dove said there is an issue with lightning causing fulurite to form on a person. He suggested the material necessary for the formation was part of the explosion. There is nothing in the scans I’ve seen to explain where the material came from. The warehouse might have had the right conditions for a small amount, but not the large amount encasing the dead man.”

“We’ve been unable to trace the source of lightning or electricity.” Luc hesitated. “Anwen mentioned a time problem and something getting through the Rift. Uh…”

“Just say it.”

“Could it be a breach between two universes?”

That sounded like Dr. Sarkisian in 2049, not the kid who refused to accept time travel. “That’s a question for Jack. Write it up and send it to him.”

“It sounds crazy.”

The kid had no idea what crazy was. “Jack won’t think so.” Being an immortal time traveler affected Jack’s definition of crazy. 


	6. Chapter 6

** Dreamscape **

** Monday, April 21, 2020 **

 

Gwen Cooper again found herself in the beautiful dream world she experienced after her injuries. The sun shone brightly over a spring paradise. Warm, sweet air circled around her. Deer stood several feet away eating grass. Squirrels raced over a nearby tree. Laughter came from somewhere in the distance.

“Why am I here?” She turned, sensing the creature she spoke to previously.

He stood over six feet tall with horns extended from his head and feathery black wings and pale lavender eyes. Despite his demonic appearance, he wasn’t frightening. His hoarse voice sounded less harsh somehow. “My brothers and I know what caused your injuries.”

“What?”

“Two objects cannot occupy the same space. Two versions of the same artifact came through the Rift. One in our world. One in a world colliding with ours. In order to pass your daughter, the artifacts slid through the collision to the opposite side. They interacted.”

“Objects or aliens?

“I don’t know.”

Gwen nodded. “What is this place?”

He looked puzzled. “A dream.”

“No. The location. Does it exist?”

“It did a long time ago.”

Gwen looked around at the beautiful world. “Why did you bring me here?”

“You ask the strangest questions.”

Gwen turned back to look at him.

“You need peace. A place without cities or duties or obligations.”

“I need a holiday?”

“Yes.”

Gwen hesitated before asking, “Are you an alien?”

He laughed an odd sound. “No. I existed before man turned its back on magic and embraced science and materialism. My brothers and I were once considered gods. We are neither divine nor all powerful.”

“What’s your name?”

“Morpheus. It is time to wake. Your paramour worries.”

“Paramour?”

“Yes. Forbidden love. A concept as old as dreams.”

“He’s not my lover.”

“Child, I live in the realm of dreams and know what passion and pain hides behind your eyes. You love Jack as you love Rhys. Your feelings are as different as the men in your life. Rhys has been there for you through everything. He keeps you grounded. Jack is an exciting, impossible man that you don’t want to live without but couldn’t share your life with.”

“He’s with Ianto.”

“You are stubborn.” Morpheus smiled. “Your paramour does not limit his emotions by cultural restrictions. Like your feelings for him and Rhys, his feelings vary for you and Ianto. That does not make them less. Only different.”

Gwen shook her head.

“When you are ready to face the truth, ask. I will show you how to share your dreams.”

 

** Torchwood Three; Cardiff, Wales **

Jack Harkness sat at Gwen’s side in the infirmary. After everything they had seen and survived, it was the first time he’d had to really face her mortality. He lightly brushed strands of hair from her forehead. The first time she impulsively kissed him had been her first case. She was thanking him for saving a girl from alien possession. If he made different choices, their lives would have been very different. Gwen probably would have died instead of Ianto. He’d reconsidered his decisions more than once. After Nessa severed the connection with Trefor, the feelings surfaced. Their time trapped in the police station made him wish things had been different.

He loved Ianto. Loving Gwen was different. What would you have told me, Jack wondered, if I told you that day you showed me your engagement ring that I loved you? And that I wanted you both. It would have been a strange conversation. He knew that much. Whether she would have been willing to share, he didn’t know. Ianto would have reacted badly.

“Jack?”

He set a hand on hers. “Yeah.”

“Have you ever heard of Morpheus?”

“The Greek god of sleep? Why?”

Gwen pushed herself up. “He told me what caused my injuries.” Gwen explained.

Jack couldn’t help but think of Lewella. “Did he ask for anything?”

“No.”

He reluctantly left the infirmary and headed for his office. Luc suggested a crack between universes. Even Luc thought it was crazy. But they didn’t have other ideas. He didn’t know what to think about a being giving Gwen information in her dreams. It was unlikely to be just a dream as no one discussed the universe possibilities in front of her.

Pending they did have a problem as severe as a crack between universes, they needed to figure out what caused it immediately. He didn’t even know if it was possible, and had no idea how to contact The Doctor to discuss it. Which left what he knew about temporal mechanics, as Anwen called it, and Luc. 

If Anwen could sense the problem, as her continuing health problems suggested, he needed to include her. He changed direction and headed for Ianto’s office. Anwen and Trefor were out of school. Anwen was too sick to go and Trefor refused to leave her. 

 

Ianto Jones sat at his desk trying to review supply inventory. Trefor had a Lego castle on the desk and was plotting a siege with dinosaurs and other toys. Anwen had found a chess game somewhere but wasn’t feeling up to learning the game or teaching Trefor. 

“Why didn’t he come?” Anwen asked for the fifth time that morning. She’d gone through John’s computer, his desk, and his tools. 

“John didn’t get the message.” It was the best answer Ianto could think of and was probably true.

“He would know what was wrong.”

Ianto doubted it. Anwen’s behavior reminded him of Rhiannon when they were kids. The situation was much different. Anwen had a crush on a man that dated her in the future. She wore the engagement ring John once offered an older version and later wore himself for months. One of the mothers on a social media group he belonged to explained normal crushes and that she would get over it and move on to the next boy at some point. He doubted that too.

Jack entered the office. 

“Is Bree here?” Ianto asked. “I need extra hands for reviewing and ordering inventory.”

“She’s dealing with Birmingham law enforcement. A group of idiots thought it would be funny to stage explosions similar to Cardiff Dock. She has a checklist from Luc and is discussing it with their bomb squad.”

“Trefor needs someone to teach him chess,” Anwen said.

“Not today.” Jack stopped by John’s desk. “We have a possible explanation for your mom’s injuries. I need to talk to Luc. Are you up for it?”

“Yeah.” She slammed a desk drawer and cringed at the noise. “We have to stay here. Trefor won’t let me go to the toilet alone.”

“Anwen is sick,” Trefor said. “I protect her.” He moved a plastic dinosaur across Ianto’s desk.


	7. Chapter 7

** Torchwood Nova Scotia; Truro, Nova Scotia, Canada **

Luc Sarkisian paced. The situation was insane. In order to consider possible solutions, he had to make assumptions based on scientific concepts that couldn’t even be evaluated with current understanding and technology. As Eryn had pointed out, the fact that it happened proved it was possible. String Theory and parallel universes were the only ideas that made any kind of sense. But it didn’t explain what caused the situation. If the barrier between two universes was damaged, the damage on both sides would get worse. Much like a failing dam. Like a dam, they needed to be able to find and assess the damage to repair it. 

When his mobile rang, he reluctantly answered it. He didn’t have anything resembling a solution. “Sarkisian.”

“How are you doing?” Jack asked.

“I don’t have an answer for you.” Luc rubbed his temples.

“We may have more information.”

“We need it.”

Jack explained the information he received from Gwen. 

“If that’s the situation, we have a temporary fix. Anwen needs to allow the Rift to do what it's going to do. Short of another alien space ship, we will have to deal with it.”

“Luc.” Anwen sounded tired. “The Rift randomly abducts people. If I do that, people will die.”

“If we’re right, and it’s a breach of the barrier between universes if you don’t release the Rift, both the universes could be destroyed.”

“There has to be another way.”

“When I find one, I will tell you. For now, release the Rift.”

“I’m stepping into the hallway,” Jack said. 

Luc heard the speaker phone chance and faint footsteps.

“What do you have?”

“Nothing. I have no way to apply the scientific method. I need to be able to find and view the problem. Right now, we have effect and no possible way of determining cause.”

“You need to keep looking.”

“Pending Anwen releases the Rift, and it works, I don’t know how much time we have. I will make a list of every organization and government agency we need to contact. Eryn has been looking for hobbyists and even conspiracy theorists with science backgrounds. If this really is what we think it is, increased research is absolutely necessary. I don’t have the knowledge, experience nor resources to investigate String Theory, parallel universes or the consequences of collisions.” Luc sighed.

“All four of you need to go back to school.” It wouldn’t help the current situation, but it would have long-term value. “If you need paperwork or someone to discuss your unique situations with a university, call me.”

“Yeah. When Gwen is back on her feet, I will have Eryn call. Kailen and I won’t be an issue. Any of the area possibilities would beg. Eryn and Aman will need to figure out their majors and everything.”

“Get some sleep.”

“I don’t know if I can. I instructed a kid to let people die. How do I live with that?”

“We don’t have a better option. It's not your fault.”

 

** Torchwood Three **

Bree Nelson was relieved when the call finally ended. What happened on Cardiff Docks had everyone on edge. While a London bureaucrat might question Gwen’s capabilities, most who knew her in law enforcement did not. She started off as a constable in Cardiff. Some knew about local accomplishments. A few knew she participated in ending Miracle Day. From varied comments, she suspected different law enforcement officers in different places knew more about Gwen and Torchwood than she did. 

Her mobile beeped, reminding her of a message that came in while she was talking to the Birmingham bomb squad. Jodi was canceling again. The reason sounded good. An injured police officer needed help tomorrow. The commute was nearly three hours one way. Bree couldn’t help but wonder. Jodi had canceled more plans in the past month than she kept. The reasons always sounded good, but she couldn’t help but wonder. Long distance relationships were difficult. Jodi’s mother wasn’t making it easy. If she wasn’t positive Jodi had no interest in men, she’d worry her mother’s matchmaking was part of the problem.

She sighed. She sounded paranoid. Jodi was not cheating on her. It was the three-hour drive. They discussed Jodi moving. It sounded possible. There was a lot to think about, discuss and do before it could happen. After two years, she wanted it badly. Seeing Gwen and Rhys together reinforced the idea. They could even get married. Although she suspected Jodi wasn’t ready for that. Mrs. Hsiung still had ideas about finding Jodi a husband. Which made the topic difficult to discuss.

The conference room door opened and Jack entered. He looked as tired as she felt. It had been a long weekend. With Gwen in the infirmary and the kids at the hub instead of school, she suspected it would be a long week. 

Jack walked around the table. “How’s Birmingham?”

“Still there.” Bree rubbed the back of her neck. “The explosives were impressive, but nothing abnormal. Sayer, from the bomb squad, asked about Gwen. He said he still owes her a beer from some type of bet.”

“Easier than London?”

“Yeah. Sayer wanted to make sure Birmingham was safe. He didn’t care about gender, politics or arse-kissing.”

Jack smiled. “Sayer is a friend of Andy Davidson’s.”

“He didn’t mention that.” Bree shook her head.

“We have a temporary solution for the Cardiff Dock situation. If you need a break, now is a good time.”

“I need to check on Gwen. She must be going crazy stuck in the infirmary.”

“She’s still sleeping most of the time,” Jack assured.

She nodded. “I still need to check.”

“Ianto needs help. He has paperwork and the kids are distracting him.”

“Paperwork.” She knew she should offer to help with the kids. “I can do that.” 

Jack chuckled as she left the conference room.


	8. Chapter 8

** Torchwood Three; Cardiff, Wales **

Anwen Williams sat on the floor next to one of the maintenance bots, trying not to cry. She needed John. She hadn’t told Ianto, but it wasn’t the first message she sent through Torchwood. He hadn’t responded. Something happened while they were trapped in Four. She said or did something that scared him. 

Tears streamed down her face. She reached under her shirt and removed the ring he’d once given an older version of herself. The world was coming apart around them and he proposed. The ring felt different. She eyed the chain as she removed it from under her shirt. It had two rings, not one. 

The new one had heart-shaped stones, and an inscription that read, “Love is timeless.” 

“Computer, scan room and compare to previous scans.”

“No change.”

Anwen stood and walked over to a work table. She used a hand-held scanner on the new ring. It took a moment to realize the stones didn’t scan. One more puzzle she had no idea how to solve.

Unsure of what else to do, she tucked the rings under her shirt and went looking for Jack. As much as she wanted to believe the new ring was from John, she knew it wasn’t. She’d spent enough time connected to him to know how his mind worked. Romantic and cheesy was not his style.

 

Jack Harkness sat in his office reading police reports. Various police departments were reporting an increase in strange occurrences. After the Cardiff Dock situation, he suspected it had to do more with people worrying about oddities than an increase in them. Nothing stood out.

One report sounded like a horror movie. A group of campers encountered strange lights and a bizarre animal. He suspected the blood work would show high amounts of alcohol. The police officer who sent the report said as much, but given the strangeness of the campsite, he thought he would say write it up.

The desk phone rang. “Harkness.”

“Good afternoon, Captain,” Dr. Floyd said. 

“Calling again so soon.”

“Yeah. I think of you during bizarre autopsies.”

“Who died?”

“The man who attacked Mrs. Williams. He died in his sleep at the police station. I can safely say he died of an embolism caused by foreign material blocking an artery in his brain.”

“What material?” 

“Sand. I have packaged it and will transport it to you personally.”

Jack couldn’t help but think of Gwen’s new friend. His interest in her had something to do with the woman rescued after the police responded to Gwen’s request for help. Morpheus was one of the Greek gods of sleep. He visited Gwen in her sleep. The man died in his sleep. He needed to look up origins of Sandman stories.

“When do you want to meet?”

Anwen entered from the back.

“I can drop it off at the tourist office.” Dr. Floyd sounded amused. “Your secret lair isn’t much a secret anymore, Captain.”

“Someone will meet you there.”

Dr. Floyd laughed at a murmured voice in the background. “I’m making a date.” The call ended.

Anwen looked uneasy. She reached under her shirt and removed the necklace John gave her. “I was in the maintenance room.” She hesitated as if trying to decide how to say something. “I use to repair maintenance bots.” She held the chain up in front of her, showing two rings, and explained the room and ring scans. “The stones are weird.”

“Take the necklace off.”

She hesitated before unfastening it. Then she slid the new ring off the chain and handed it to him.

“’Love is timeless.’” She motioned at the inscription. “It’s not from John.”

Jack figured that. From what John said before the Cattrel Industries situation, and after returning from Four, he suspected John left Earth. 

He used the com connection between Three and Four to call the general.

“Williams.”

“Does the phrase ‘love is timeless’ mean anything to you?” Jack asked.

“A commercial for jewelry?”

“Anwen found another ring on her necklace. Hearts, clear stones. Very feminine.”

“The Other Keara wore a ring like that.”

“Why would she give me a ring?” Anwen grabbed the ring from Jack’s hand and returned it to the chain.

“I don’t know.”

Anwen refastened the necklace around her neck. “How many people was I engaged to?”

The general laughed. “None. My sister didn’t accept the first ring.”

Anwen muttered something.

“How’s mum?”

“Good,” Anwen said. “How’s Nessa?”

“Good. She’s been taking over Four’s paperwork.”

“Say hi for me.”

“Any problems?” Jack asked.

“Jeannette. Otherwise, no.”

Anwen looked up from the ring and smiled. It didn’t reach her eyes. “Shoe shopping. Boy bands.”

“I have questions for mum when she’s feeling better.”

“Ask Bree,” Jack suggested, “She’s a psychiatrist.”

“Yeah.”

 

Anwen Williams returned to the maintenance room. When she was in the infirmary, a voice supposedly from her wrist-strap told her to ask Keara. Now she had a ring, with strange stones, connected to Keara. She’d heard pieces of conversation about the time traveler. Which more than suggested the ring had something to do with time and what happened in the warehouse and to her mom.

“Who are you?” Anwen asked.

The illusion faded, and the wrist-strap opened, followed by a hologram. She’d overheard something about John previously using a holographic message. The image that appeared was female and looked a lot like her mother. It took a moment to realize she was looking at an older version of herself. The version that John loved, she suspected.

“That’s why you sent John back.”

“The ring belongs to Keara from another universe.”

Anwen stared at the flickering image. 

“Destroying hostile spaceships, killing aliens with the Rift, opening the Rift at the risk of random people’s lives to protect a lot more. Those are the simple decisions. The changes should have given you a better life.”

“A different life.” Anwen sighed. “I don’t even know what to ask.”

“Nothing. You need to live your life.” The hologram faded.


	9. Chapter 9

** Saint David’s Mall; Cardiff, Wales **

** Saturday, May 2, 2020 **

Anwen Williams wondered how her life could go from crazy to normal and back again. A trip to the mall for her birthday was normal. Her father needing to run to the toilet and worrying about leaving her and Trefor alone was hilarious. She suggested the Disney store after seeing Ken was working and insisted he was a friend of Jack and Ianto’s. The truth was he dated John briefly. A conversation she didn’t want to have with her dad. She met him during a mall trip with Uncle Jack; Ken asked about John. Jack tried the “he’s a friend of John’s” explanation.

“Dad, go. No one is grabbing us. Cameras, witnesses.”  I would throw the offender into the Rift. “Ken’s cool.”

“Why did you lie to your dad?” Ken asked as she looked at a display of fantasy horses.

“Telling him you were a friend of John’s wouldn’t have worked.”

“Do I want to know?”

Anwen laughed. “No.” Trefor tugged her toward a display of Disney Princesses for little kids. “Do you have any new Disney junior stuff.”

“It’s for younger kids.”

“He’s younger.” After meeting her older brother, she realized that gender-specific toys weren’t the best approach. 

Ken’s reaction was comical. If he couldn’t handle her wanting girl cartoons for her brother, he definitely couldn’t handle anything actually shocking.  We have the same bad taste in men. You dated John last year. I will date in fifteen or twenty years.

She touched the ring she still wore under her shirt, hoping John was all right. With the CN out of his system, he left. He promised he wouldn’t leave Earth. But she doubted John would tell her if was. After whatever happened in Ireland, the topic made him nervous.

Ken handed her a DVD box. She read the back. It sounded promising.

“Thanks.”

An Arabian caught her attention. The horse was part of a Prince and Princess set. The dolls didn’t interest her. She had no idea if Trefor liked dolls. She would have to ask for one, at some point, and find out. 

“Anwen,” Ken asked quietly, “Where did your dad go?”

“The public toilet.” A puzzling question since her dad told him.

“It’s been twenty minutes.”

Anwen fished her mobile from her pocket and checked the time. More than twenty minutes. She quickly found her dad in her contacts. It rang and rang, ending with voice mail. Maybe he got sick and didn’t want to answer in the toilet. She sent him a text message. When he didn’t respond and he didn’t call, she worried. He was a much easier target than she was.

“Do you know where the nearest public toilet is?” She couldn’t picture it. 

“Yeah. Look, I have a break. I don’t want you walking around the mall alone.”

Anwen nodded. Explaining the Rift and that she could toss offenders in it would have taken longer. It would also lessen the chance someone would call security about a wandering eleven-year-old with a baby. She had second thoughts as she followed him out of the store. If there was a problem with her father, protecting two was harder than protecting one and she didn’t want anything happening to him. He’d been there for John when he needed someone.

The situation made her uneasy. She was tempted to call Jack. If her father stepped into a store or somehow lost track of time, Jack wouldn’t react as badly. Her mum would be really unhappy.  I can destroy alien space ships in the Rift argument didn’t work. She could hear her mother talking about age-appropriate. 

“I will check.”

“Thanks.”

The employee door passed the public toilets opened a moment before Ken stepped back into the hallway. There was something about the man. If she saw him in a car park, or on the sidewalk, she’d expect him to offer her candy or ask for help to find his lost puppy. Something about him made the hair on her arms stand up. 

When he reached for a gun, she intended to grab him with the Rift. Before she could, the man exploded, spraying goo all over the hallway. She stood there staring. Ken looked back briefly before walking over and guiding her out of the hallway. 

“I need to call Uncle Jack.”

Ken had his back to the wall and was bent over. He looked pale.

“You better sit down.” Anwen sat in the middle of the hallway, blocking access and quickly searched through her contacts. The phone rang four times. She was wondering what she’d do if he didn’t answer. 

“Anwen?”

“I need you at the mall.” She looked at Ken. “Do you know what security calls this section of the mall?”

Ken shook his head.

Anwen explained what happened the best she could. “Jack, he exploded. Clothes, gun, everything. It’s on the floor, walls, ceiling.”

“Is Trefor calm?”

“Somewhat. He’s being cuddly. He knows something happened.”

“Keep him calm.”

“What aren’t you telling me?”

“Is it goo? Nothing else is damaged?”

Anwen took another look and her stomach heaved. “Yeah.”

“Your brother did it.”

She hugged him, tears welling in her eyes. “You should have told me.”

“Ten, fifteen minutes,” Jack assured. “Stay on the line.”

After ten minutes, she had repeatedly told people they didn’t want to enter the hallway. The smell was horrible. She couldn’t imagine why anyone couldn’t figure out something awful happened. One person crouched next to her. She suspected a do-gooder until she saw the uniform. 

“You need to check CCTV. You won’t believe me.”

“What happened?”

“I was looking for my dad. A guy comes through the door back there, reaches for a gun and explodes.” Anwen sighed. “Torchwood is less than five minutes out. You can talk to Jack when he gets here.”

“You called Torchwood?”

“No, I called my Uncle who happens to run Torchwood.” Anwen recognized him approaching by his boots. 

“DC Cowley.

The constable stood and faced Jack. “My case.”

“No. One of my people is missing. A person exploded in front of Gwen’s daughter.” Jack motioned at Ken. “He’s a friend of a Torchwood agent from another office. Whatever happened is a threat against Torchwood. I have jurisdiction.”

Cowley crossed his arms. “You blew up the police station.”

“No. Alys Meyler blew up the station. I had to get to Gwen before it landed on her.”

Anwen stood, keeping a hold of Trefor. “DC Cowley, right?” She said. “Unless you can explain how there is human goo everywhere, it’s Torchwood. So put it back in your pants.”

“She sounds like Gwen Cooper.”

“Mum has more patience.” Anwen walked around Cowley with Trefor and hugged Jack. 

 

Jack Harkness scanned the hallway. The energy was consistent with the alien the general detonated. Material on the floors, walls, and ceiling was primarily organic. It smelled but was harmless. He walked carefully over the slick tile to the toilet door. 

Another scanned showed no immediate threat. There was unknown energy, but no alien technology or obvious threat. He pushed the door open. It looked like any other public toilet. A quick walk through showed no indication of a problem.

He tapped his ear com. “Ianto, any Rift activity?”

“No.”

“Are you able to remote access the mall’s CCTV?”

“Yeah. With Kailen’s help.”

“Anything?”

“No. The cameras in the employee area beyond the hallway are disabled.”

“Access city records for blueprints. Find out if this is the original layout of the building and if there has been any other entrances or exits to this area.”

“Are the kids all right?”

“Physically.”


	10. Chapter 10

** Torchwood Three; Cardiff, Wales **

Jack Harkness hated giving bad news nevertheless to those he cared about. The situation was truly puzzling. He told Gwen initially in private. As one of the unfortunate, bizarre cases Torchwood sometimes saw, he had no choice but to discuss it with the team. He would have to break the news to Luc and the general soon. 

“We have very little,” Jack said from the head of the table. “Rhys is seen entering the bathroom on CCTV but does not come back out. Scan readings indicate a temporal displacement inconsistent with anything I have seen. It wasn’t the Rift.”

Gwen sat across the room staring at the table next to Anwen who held her hand. She cried when he told her. For the moment, she was numb. There was little he could say to her. She blamed herself. Torchwood was the only possible explanation they had so far and it wouldn’t be the first time he’d been hurt because of her job.

“What about the exploding man in the hallway?” Bree sat opposite of Anwen. She was the only one in the room who didn’t know Trefor was responsible. She wasn’t ready for the information, and Gwen wasn’t willing to share.

“Not directly related. We’ve seen it before. Consistent with what we know of the phenomena, the man had bad intentions toward the kids. He paid for it.”

“Facial recognition identified him as Marvyn Tew.” Ianto sat next to him holding Trefor. “He has an extensive police file. He was under investigation for arson-for-hire involving a commercial building fire/insurance scam last month. He’s suspected of everything from stalking to extortion. Anything he could get paid for.”

“He expected us,” Anwen said quietly. “He had tech or someone watching us from a distance.”

“What about the mall employee?” Bree asked.

“Ken was with us when dad disappeared. He’s a friend of John’s and knows about him and Uncle Jack working for Torchwood.”

“What did Ken say before you left the store?” Jack asked. He wished he could contact John. The paramedics transported the young man for psyche observation. The hospital admitted him.

“He asked where my dad went. Which I thought was weird until he mentioned he’d been gone too long. He offered to walk with us.” Anwen rubbed her face. “It wasn’t Ken. The only question he asked that didn’t involve the store was why I told dad he was a friend of Jack and Ianto’s instead of mentioning John. I didn’t say anything specific and he didn’t ask. Everything after that was about Disney.” She sighed. “We went into the Disney store because dad was worried about leaving me and Trefor alone. I saw Ken as an easy solution.”

“The constable?”

Jack wondered that himself. The man had a history of editing information to avoid Torchwood. Rather than trust the police system, he contacted Andy Davidson. Cowley was at the mall following a lead on an unrelated case. “Nearest available when security called 999.”

“Could it be related to the device from the Red Dragon Centre car park?” Gwen looked at him with haunted eyes.

“I don’t know.” Jack didn’t think so. None of the scan results or details were the same.

 

Jack contacted Nova Scotia first. While Luc lived at the building with them in Cardiff, he’d gotten along with Rhys. For whatever reason, Luc clashed with Anwen which led to complications. But he’d connected with Rhys over shopping and building chores.

“Are the energy readings comparable to anything?” Luc sounded overwhelmed.

“No.” If they were, he would have a place to start.

“I need something to work with, Jack.”

He knew the feeling. “Have Kailen write a program to search the Internet for unexplained disappearances. The majority of the cases will be inaccurate or fabricated. Results need to be checked to determine if the person existed. We need to research any possibilities.”

“That we can do. Eryn made friends with the local librarian. It’ll help. Please tell Gwen we’re doing everything we can.”

“I will. Make sure you sleep.” Jack needed to send Eryn an email. Luc got stressed and didn’t care for himself. It wouldn’t help anyone if he wound up sick.

Discussing the situation with the kid was simple compared to the next call. The general’s relationship with the version of Rhys he knew growing up was complicated. He stayed in contact with Gwen and spoke to Anwen on occasion. He made no attempt to connect with Rhys.

“Williams.”

“Evening. I’m sending details.” Jack took a moment. “Rhys disappeared at the mall today.”

“What?”

“He walked into a bathroom and disappeared without a trace.”

“How is that possible?” The general asked.  


“We don’t know. Luc is researching possibilities.”

“What else?”

“Does the name Mervyn Tew mean anything?”

“No. Why?”

“He approached Anwen and Trefor near where Rhys disappeared. Before Anwen could grab him with the Rift, he exploded. Readings are similar to the alien that threatened Nessa.”

The general exhaled. “I was seven or eight the first time the ability manifested.”

“How does it work?”

“It's a targeting system. It identifies a threat and the threat explodes.”

“What type of threats?”

“Aliens mostly. The first person I killed was a paedophile.”

“Did it apply to childhood threats? Bullies?” Jack wasn’t sure what to ask.

“No. The threat is bodily harm to self or loved ones. I was bullied in school. I never killed any of the bullies.”

“We need to determine if Trefor is dangerous.”

“I don’t know.” The general sounded tired. “How’s mum?”

“Not good.”

“Keep me updated. I will review the information, check reports and see what I can come up with. Nessa can review the details for possible alternative explanations.” 


	11. Chapter 11

** Torchwood Three; Cardiff, Wales **

** Sunday, May 3, 2020 **

Anwen Williams entered the gun range for the first time. She had no interest in the weapons. She needed a safe place to release her anger. What good was a Rift ability if she couldn’t protect those she loved? Her dad was missing. Trefor manifested an ability to protect her. He was as dangerous as Jeannette Dove, but unlike her, his ability wouldn’t fade with CN contamination. Unless they could figure out how to shut it off, he couldn’t go back to school for years.

She walked through to make sure the gun safe was secured, and there were no structural or other issues. Confident, she set a bowl on a table at the front of the underground range. The targets looked like Weevils. It made her uneasy, but she reminded herself they weren’t real. 

After a deep breath, she lifted one marble from the bowl using her newer, telekinetic Rift ability. It hovered above the bowl. She tested control by moving it in a circle and then up and down. When she was confident she could control it, she aimed the marble at the nearest target. It passed through the paper within inches of where she intended. Using the ability on the marble gave it an energy signature which she quickly located, and returned it to the bowl.

One by one, she mastered control. By the time her Uncle Jack entered the range, she could hit five targets with five marbles. Each marble hit the target less than an inch from where she intended. While she had no intention of ever impaling people or creatures with marbles, it gave her a focus. She needed to do something.

“I made sure the guns were secure first.”

“I know.”

She swirled a dozen marbles in two twirling lines above the bowl. “Of all the things the Rift or the universe could give me, I can kill things.” Tears streamed down her face. “I couldn’t save my dad. Leaving the Rift unsecured might have killed him. I couldn’t protect my brother.” The marbles crashed down into the bowl. “He’s three years old and too dangerous to go to school or play with other kids.”

“It’s not your fault.” Jack set a hand on her shoulder. “The Rift didn’t take your dad.”

“What did? We have all of Torchwood. Global, past London, the archives in the Falklands, Luc. How is it possible we can’t find him?”

“I don’t know.”

“Why did John leave? I know I said or did something while we were trapped in Dublin.”

“John left because he needed to go. He stayed as long as he could.”

“I still have some of his memories. Copies. I know what he went through for the Anwen he loved. I don’t understand why he stayed. The older me loved him, but she used him. My older brother called him a rabid dog. He really believed if he started drinking again you would kill him.” Anwen shook her head. “He still loves you. That’s the strangest of all of it somehow.”

“You have school work.”

“I can’t.” Anwen leaned on the table, tears hitting the surface between her hands. “I don’t care if I have a wrist-strap and access to Torchwood Global. It’s too much.”

“The hardest part of Torchwood is helping who we can.”

“Then why is Ken in a psychiatric hospital instead of the infirmary? I made a decision to involve him. I shouldn’t have let him help me look for dad. He’s not in a good place. I used the computer to check his files. Ken should be here with us.” 

 

Jack Harkness found Bree in the conference room. She had a laptop, a notebook and her mobile on the table. 

“Do you have any idea how many people disappear in a year?” Bree rubbed her temples. “Domestics, abductions, human-trafficking, arses who walk away from their families, and cases that defy explanation.” She sighed. “There are support groups for alien abuctees.”

“Actual alien abductions are rare.”

“I hope so.”

Jack rested his hands on the back of a chair. “I have a project for you.” 

Bree groaned. “I’m not going to like this, am I?”

“Kenneth Phillips. He was with Anwen and Trefor when Rhys disappeared.”

“He was admitted for psychiatric care.”

“Yeah. Ken needs to be transferred here.”

“Why?” Bree’s tone said she wasn’t sure she wanted to know.

“Anwen feels responsible.”

Bree nodded. “According to the police report, Ken is dating a Torchwood agent from another office. Which office?”

“He’s a friend of John’s.”

“Does Anwen know that? She gives me dirty looks if I stand near John.”

“She knows.”

Bree shook her head. “What reason am I giving?”

“Ongoing threat to his safety. Rhys’ disappearance or Tew exploding.”

“Do we have any way to reach John?”

“No.”


	12. Chapter 12

** Dr. Floyd’s Morgue; Cardiff, Wales **

** Monday, May 4, 2020 **

Jack Harkness stepped into Guinevere Floyd’s office. It looked much as it always did. The shelves filled with curiosities, dented filing cabinets, a cluttered desk and few personal items said a lot about the medical examiner. She held her mobile in one hand and motioned toward a chair with the other. He claimed an old, wooden chair and waited.

“Did you check your equipment?” She listened. “Run it again.” After a moment, the call ended.

“Problem?” 

“Since you don’t have a doctor, I sent out basic lab tests. The kid at the lab is uncertain the deceased is human.” Floyd sighed. “When did that become an actual possibility?”

Jack smiled. “Is that why you called?”

“No. The woman Mrs. Williams rescued was being held at an unused building. A search of the property found two bodies. They fit the multiple murder from London, but have some puzzling differences.” She passed him a manila folder. “I don’t think it's the same killer. Two offenders with similar, distinctive kills makes me think there is more to it.”

“What makes it a Torchwood case?” Jack opened the folder.

“Either he recreated his favorite horror film or there is an actual reason to dissect his victims’ brains. DCI Lacene Harpham can chase the slasher angle.”

Jack flipped through the file. “Anything missing?”

“No. His interest appeared to be the hypothalamus. The fact that he died in his sleep makes me wonder if there is a connection.”

A sleep connection was not something he wanted to hear. It fit what they already knew. The rescued victim had something to do with Morpheus. The creature, if his story was true, could enter dreams. The dead serial killer was potentially interested in his victim’s sleep. He wondered if Morpheus somehow affected people’s brains.

“Is there anything abnormal about the victim’s brains?”

“No. Why?”

“The killer was looking for something.”

“When is Torchwood getting a doctor, Captain Harkness?”

“I’m looking.”

Dr. Floyd crossed her arms. 

“It takes time,” Jack said, without looking up. He reviewed her recommendations. All were impressive doctors. None stood out to him.

“What am I telling DCI Harpham? Are you taking over?”

With Rhys missing, he wanted to say no. From what he knew of the situation, particularly Gwen’s connection to Morpheus, it was necessary. Luc could assist with running tests to determine if the dead man was human. “It’s Torchwood.” Jack looked up. “I need to make arrangements for the body and a copy of all tests results.”

“Yeah.” Dr. Floyd narrowed her eyes at him. “Do you want what’s left of Marvyn Tew? Confirming his identity will take a few more days. The lab realized part way through tests that the material recovered is not completely organic.”

“Tew can be cremated.”

“You know what killed him?”

“Yeah. We’ve seen it before.”

“Tew’s sister called asking about funeral arrangements. She wanted to know why her brother’s death wasn’t being investigated.”

“You have contact information?” Jack immediately wondered if Crowley was interfering with an investigation again. 

Dr. Floyd groaned. “DC Crowley and I are going to have words.”

 

** Mercia Tew’s house; Cardiff, Wales **

Parking in front of the house reminded Jack Harkness of a previous notification. He and Gwen spoke to Jorel Baughn’s widow. Except this time, Gwen’s husband was missing. He took a moment to get his thoughts in order. Mrs. Baughn’s condition after three months was potentially a preview of Gwen, if he couldn’t figure out what happened to Rhys. He sighed. He needed to question Tew’s sister as if he was considering the possibility her brother’s death was connected to Rhys’ disappearance. There was virtually no chance.

The important question was why Marvyn Tew approached the kids. He had access to an employee area with disabled CCTV. To know the kids were near the door, he needed access to mall security or a spotter. If Tew had a mobile on him, it was destroyed when Trefor detonated him. It would have been a burner. Kailen reviewed the mall’s CCTV and determined the cameras were disabled remotely in the mall. He, Ianto and Aman reviewed footage between the Disney store where the kids waited with Ken and the toilets and found no one. Kailen and Aman were still reviewing mall footage trying to link someone to Tew. Both he and Aman agreed that if Tew was with someone, that person or persons went out of their way to avoid being seen with him.

Jack stepped from the Torchwood van into the street. His ear com beeped. He tapped it. 

“I have information.” Ianto sounded tired. 

“Go ahead.” Jack stopped on the sidewalk.

“Mercia Tew has a juvenile record and is aware of her brother’s criminal activities. She’s bailed him out of jail and hired solicitors. There’s a possibility she’s involved.”

“Run everything you can on her. Contact Kailen, if you need to. Send a summary to the general.”

“I have done this before.” 

“We need answers.”

“Anwen is suggesting we run the Tews through Torchwood Global. It might be similar to Moss-Probert’s extortion attempt.” 

“Find her something else to do.”

“Yeah. Anwen’s going to teach Trefor how to play chess.” Jack could picture the exchange. Anwen was probably standing next to Ianto’s desk annoying him much like the instructions on how to check out Mercia. “You need to grab lunch on the way back. Pizza from the Red Dragon Centre would be good.”

Jack couldn’t help but smile. “Trefor’s request?”

“Yep. No pepperoni.” Ianto disconnected.

He needed to spend time with Trefor, Jack thought as he walked up the sidewalk to the house. Ianto insisted on getting balls and a Frisbee for the building. At the time, he couldn’t picture Ianto in the backyard teaching Trefor how to play football. Ianto could hunt Weevils, he could play sports with a three-year-old.

Mercia opened the door before he reached it. He recognized the picture from a social media profile. The stocky forty-something wore jeans and a t-shirt. She looked tired, her graying hair making her look older. She eyed him, her expression resigned. After a moment, she stepped back and motioned him inside.

“My brother died on Saturday.” She closed the front door. “I was notified by the news.”

“A communication glitch with the police department, Ms. Tew. Torchwood was unaware next of kin had been located.” Jack said. “I’m very sorry for you loss.”

She led into the kitchen. The perfectly ordered house and decor suggested she created an image. No dust, clutter or dirty dishes made him wonder. Gwen cleaned while stressed, but she looked stressed. Nothing about Mercia Tew suggested emotional distressed. She looked annoyed more than anything.

“I would like to bury my brother.”

“Unfortunately, your brother was exposed to alien technology. It would be safer to have him cremated.”

“We’re Catholic.”

Jack highly doubted that. Devout Catholics had crucifixes, religious decorations and often Bibles in plain view. There was nothing openly Catholic about Mercia Tew’s home. Which made him wonder why she was lying. The more he thought about her body language, the more he questioned her motivation for contacting Dr. Floyd.

“I’m sorry.” He paused for effect. “I need to ask some questions about your brother.”

“The police didn’t give you the file of crap they’re accusing him of either?”

“We have reason to believe your brother was involved in a kidnapping. Does the name Rhys Williams mean anything to you?”

Whatever she was expecting him to ask, that obviously wasn’t it. An honest expression flashed across her face. “No.” 

“He’s a part-time Torchwood agent. He was at the mall with his children. Your brother was killed in front of them.”

She shook her head. “I have no idea.”

Jack believed that much and wondered what she expected him to say. “Is there anyone who might know what your brother was involved in?”

“No.”

“Any information you could provide would help. Friends, employers. Anything.”

“I don’t know.”

“Where was he staying?”

“Here. With the latest bullshit investigation, he lost his job.”

“Can I see his room?”

“I don’t want anything pinned on him.”

“A man is missing. I would like to return him safely to his family.”

Mercia agreed. The interview had not gone as the woman expected. He couldn’t help but wonder if she knew what happened to her brother. Which suggested she had something to do with it. From his own experience with Gray, he knew sibling relationships were complicated. His brother had been tortured to the point of breaking his mind. Had Marvyn done something to justify his sister’s actions? One of many questions he needed answered.

The man’s room offered no direct clues. Like the rest of the house, it barely looked lived in. He had no laptop, notebook or even a receipt. There wasn’t so much as dust under the bed. Mercia Tew prepared the room for inspection. If she wanted to protect her brother’s memory, he could understand disposing of anything potentially incriminating. Jack doubted it was that simple. 


	13. Chapter 13

** Torchwood Four; Dublin, Ireland **

General Trefor Williams walked through the upstairs garden Malcolm and Molly started in the greenhouse after the maintenance bots repaired it. Sun filtered through the unusual glass. The station’s familiar technology made him homesick. Not for the station nor the war, but the life he had at Torchwood London before his world fell apart. He missed his sister. Having a version of his mother helped for awhile, but it wasn’t the same. His strange new family helped, even Jeannette whose behavior bordered on insane from time-to-time. Then he’d see a silly horse joke online or something at the mall he would have bought on impulse as a gift, and the pain returned. 

The disconnected feeling made him think of his father’s life. His father had been trapped in the distant past. Torchwood stalked, abducted, threatened and finally bribed Jack. Somehow after everything, or maybe because of it, his father ran the institution that took over his life. Had they been close, he would have asked questions. How do you cope was the first one that came to mind.

Nessa suggested he offer Jack an olive branch. They were older. With the time travel and forced service to Torchwood, they had common ground. It made sense. But he couldn’t imagine it. Although arguably a different version of his father, Jack was still Jack. Torchwood was everything to him. The only one who could compete was his mother. With Ianto around, even his mother didn’t get Jack’s full attention.

“Malcolm said you had a headache.” Nessa walked into the garden. “I can help with that.”

The general couldn’t help but smile. “Your answer for everything.”

She laughed. “It works for everything.”

“I have work to do.”

“You’ve barely eaten and haven’t slept since Rhys disappeared. You need a break. Food, rest.” She walked over to him. “Me.” 

The general reached out, grabbed her around the waist and pulled her against him. “I need to check-in with Ianto. If there is nothing new, I will take the rest of the day off.”

Nessa started unbuttoning his shirt. “Ianto will get off without you.”

“Someone will walk in on us.”

“The nearest maintenance office has a cot like the one in your office. The door locks.”

 

** Torchwood Three; Cardiff, Wales **

Bree Nelson transported Ken Phillips from the hospital to the hub. According to his psychiatric records from the facility, he was heavily medicated because of fear and anxiety. Second guessing other doctors, particularly without all the information, was a bad idea. Except he was drugged out of his mind and from what the A&E said prior to transferring him, he was not dangerous. Not to himself or anyone else. She parked near the Torchwood entrance in the garage. Ken continued staring out the window as she moved around the car. She really needed to know what he was like beforehand. She guided him into the hub. 

“How is he?” Jack asked, joining them on the walk to the infirmary.

“I don’t know. When you saw him at the mall, was he agitated?”

“No.”

“Could you ask Kailen to get Ken’s medical records? I could request them.” Bree hesitated. “He’s over medicated. I don’t like the explanation. It could simply be my views on medicating patients.” She used her hands on Ken’s shoulders to turn him. “This is ridiculous.”

“The nanogenes would purge the medication.”

“What’s the downside?”

“We don’t have medication if he needs more than sedation.”

“If it comes to that, I can prescribe it.” Bree shook her head. “I can’t evaluate a patient who can’t answer questions.”

“Has Gwen explained the stun gun and tranquilizers?” Jack followed them into the infirmary.

“Yeah.” She maneuvered Ken onto a cot near the door. “Ken is not my first potentially dangerous patient. I went through Foundation training at an A&E in London.” She smiled. “'You’re going to be a psychiatrist, right? What’s wrong with this guy?'”

“The computer will scan him and release the nanogenes. Unlike Gwen’s injuries, it won’t take long.”

Bree’s mobile rang as Jack programmed the computer. She checked the screen before moving across the room. “Hello.”

“Dr. Nelson, this is Sayer from the Birmingham police department. I have information about one of your cases.”

“Which one?” Bree grabbed a notebook and a pen on a small table near one of the medical cots.

“Marvyn Tew. His sister Mercia Tew has connections to an odd group in Birmingham. Most call them the Sisters. It’s an organization for psychics.” Sayer obviously thought there were crazy. “They believe in something called the Celestial Garden of Souls.”

“How do you know about them?”

“Five suspicious deaths in the last ten years. One of the DCs here keeps an eye on them. No proof.”

“Do you have names?”

Sayer read them. “The boss is not going to send the files. Keep me out of it.”

“Thank you.”

“Tell Gwen the Birmingham guys are praying for her.”

Jack was looking at her when she walked back over with the notebook. “I think we have a problem.” Bree explained the phone call. 

“Where am I?” Ken asked quietly.

“Torchwood, Mr. Phillips.”

“Is John here?”

“No. We’ve been unable to contact him. We were concerned about the treatment you were receiving and transferred you here.”

Bree handed Jack the notebook. “This I can handle.” She pulled a chair over to Ken’s bedside. 

 

Jack Harkness used a tablet to do a search in the hallway outside the infirmary. If the organization had an official website, it wasn’t under that name. Various articles called the group everything from scammers to cultists. The entirely negative information suggested the group didn’t post information or defend itself from criticism. He wondered briefly if it was connected to future Aman’s Fellowship of Inner Peace. It appeared older with complaints going back eighteen years. 

Jack headed for Ianto’s office; he could do the research from there. Ianto needed a break. Anwen was struggling. Trefor had been clingy since he detonated Marvyn Tew. The situation could break an adult. Ken was an example of that. He stepped into the office and found the kids playing chess with a really old board on John’s desk.

“Everything okay?”

“We got bored playing with matches.” Anwen looked tired. “I figured I’d juggle knives after this game.”

“No running with scissors?”

“Ianto took them. I was making paper dolls. Apparently, he actually needed that inventory report.”

Jack smiled, walking over to Ianto. “How are you?”

“I’ll live.” Ianto lowered his voice. “Liverpool has an unidentified body in the morgue. I spoke with Dr. Floyd. She’s confident it's not Rhys, but Gwen wants to check.”

“How did you keep her from leaving?” Jack knew there had a be a story there.

“Bree took the keys.” He opened the desk drawer and showed keys to all three cars. “When Gwen demanded them, Anwen said she took them and threatened to lock down the hub.”

Jack set the notebook on the desk. “Bree got a call from Birmingham.”

Ianto reached out for his hand. “We’re good. Gwen’s not. In addition to Liverpool, the general hasn’t returned her calls. I talked her out of calling Malcolm. She still might.” He grabbed the notebook with his free hand.

 

Gwen Cooper copied her daughter and headed down to the range. She hoped shooting a few targets would distract her from the hopelessness threatening to consume her. Hanging new targets on the stands was simple enough. Picturing a recent Weevil attack, she emptied the first clip. It did little for her mood. She wanted to go after whatever took Rhys.

She couldn’t help but think of SkyPoint. They’d investigated a series of disappearances in the sky-rise block of flats while Tosh and Owen were still with them. It was the first case both she and Jack thought of. Scan readings didn’t fit. The creature walking through SkyPoint’s walls didn’t leave chronons. There also would have been more missing. Jack even asked Luc for a mini robot to check the air ducts. The complete lack of evidence ruled out any possibility they could think of.

After emptying the second clip, Gwen decided the range wouldn’t help. Weevils hadn’t taken Rhys. Her prime suspect was the Rift. She popped the clip and opened the chamber to clean the pistol. Before Anwen took control of the Rift, and they weren’t entirely sure she had control, it abducted people randomly much like debris and random aliens it deposited. With the largest threat from a universe collision, Anwen released it. The Rift resumed as it had before. Jack had to think the same thing. But they couldn’t mention it. Anwen would blame herself.

“Is the ceiling intact?” Jack entered the range behind her.

Gwen still remembered the day he taught her to shoot. “Did Ianto tell you Bree stole the car keys?”

“Yeah.”

“I need to do something, Jack.”

“Help me review police files.”


	14. Chapter 14

** Torchwood Three; Cardiff, Wales **

** Monday, May 4, 2020 **

Bree Nelson returned to the infirmary with her notebook, tablet and dozens of images from the mall’s CCTV. Ken’s memory of the event and what happened leading up to it was solid. The question was whether or not he could handle assisting with the investigation. Although she was certain he was over medicated, she didn’t question the hospital’s decision to admit him. While he didn’t see what happened to Marvyn Tew, he knew the man exploded behind him. Being unable to provide an explanation for Rhys’ disappearance, or John being unavailable, didn’t help.

“How are you feeling?” Jack had insisted she go home for the night. The medical equipment monitored Ken’s health and Jack checked on him. She wished she knew how to check the equipment for details.

“Tired.”

Bree sat next to his cot. “A team in another office has been reviewing CCTV footage. It would help if someone familiar with the mall could look at images.”

“Suspects?”

“Possibly. We have reason to believe that the man who died in the hallway was targeting Anwen and Trefor and had an accomplice. Unfortunately, we don’t know for sure.”

“I will look at the pictures. I don’t know how it would help.”

Bree switched on the tablet and showed him the slide show of images. “Tap the screen to view the next one.”

Ken shifted the blurry image back and forth. “This guy works in the food court. The new place. I don’t know his name.” He tapped the screen.

Bree took notes. 

“Plain clothes security. She follows potential underage shoplifters.” Ken closed his eyes briefly. “Catrin. Most call her Cat.” He grimaced at the next one. “David works in a shoe store.” Ken shook his head. “He’s an arse.” The next few pictures were hard to make out. “Father Bartholomew.” He tapped through several more. “This lady is strange.” He closed his eyes again for a moment. “She was in the store when Anwen was there.”

Bree added the note. “Why is she strange?”

“She has a way of looking at you.” He focused. “Jack and Ianto came into the store with Anwen looking for a birthday present, I think. Something about Ianto freaked her out.”

“Does she come into the store often?”

“I’m not sure.”

“Has she reacted to anyone else?”

“Not that I remember.”

“Any idea what he name is?”

Ken hesitated. “I don’t know.”

Bree quickly found her mobile. “Hold on.” She walked across the room.

“Harkness.”

Bree explained about the woman. 

“Ken said she reacted to Ianto?”

“Yeah.”

“What’s wrong?”

“A possible problem.”

“Anything I need to worry about?”

“No.”

Bree didn’t believe him. Which really made her wonder. Ianto’s problems and how everyone treated him, including Anwen, said something serious happened. From what she’d overheard he’d been gone for ten years. There was nothing in his Torchwood file that supported or explained it. Nessa called him a witch. He had a cat no one would talk about and owl feathers on his desk that made him nervous.

“This is Aislinn, she’s an Irish teenager staying with her Welsh grandmother. She’s obsessed with Disney Princesses. They come into the store at least once a month.”

 

Jack Harkness checked the picture Ken identified. It wasn’t clear enough for facial rec. “Does your store have independent CCTV cameras?”

“I don’t know. If someone suspects a shoplifter, we can review footage specific to the store.”

Jack stepped out of the infirmary and called Aman on his mobile.

“What time is it?” Aman mumbled something in the background. 

Jack checked his watch. “Early.”

Aman swore. Jack recognized the tone not the language. “Is someone dead, dying or needs to be?”

“John’s friend identified a possible suspect. The immediate concern is she reacted strangely to Ianto. I have information connecting Mercia Tew to a cult that’s potentially leaving bodies in Birmingham.”

“Jack, it’s 0500. Can you simply keep Ianto in the hub until it’s a sane hour here?”

More mumbling followed in the background. “We’re getting up.” Kailen sounded less awake. “Aman didn’t intend to imply Ianto’s a dog.”

He should have called Luc. “Are you sober?”

“Yes, we’re sober.” Kailen hesitated. “Aman is sober.”

“Give Aman the mobile.”

“He’s in the toilet.”

“I will send the details.” The call ended.

Jack sent the photograph and information to Aman and Luc. He added a summary of the conversation to Luc. Then Jack called the general. Gwen was still unhappy about the general’s lack of response yesterday. 

“Williams.” 

“Morning. Have you heard of an organization in Birmingham called the Sisters or the Celestial Garden of Souls.”

The general groaned. “What did they do?”

“Who are they?”

“An organization of psychics,” the general replied. “Rift abilities and other. The short version is they revere the Rift because they believe it’s the origin of souls. It has to do with Rift abilities being more common among those born in Cardiff.”

“They’re not specific to Cardiff?”

“No. Cardiff has the largest concentration. Tasmania and the southern coast of New Zealand are known for Rift abilities also.”

“Any reason one of the members might react badly to Ianto?”

“Possibly,” the general said. “The group has real psychics. Ianto’s return and his connection to the Otherworld could cause a reaction.”

Jack explained what they knew. “We have a possible connection between the Sisters and Marvyn Tew.”

“If he’s connected, they set him up.”

“Why would they?” Jack asked.

“If it’s the Sisters, it has to do with Anwen.” The general paused. “They’re women’s rights activists and vigilantes. We suspected they had an underground for rescuing exploited psychics and females in general. My Anwen was approached in her twenties. The Sisters was concerned that Torchwood was abusing her.”

“Call Gwen and Ianto.”

“I will call mum.” 


	15. Chapter 15

** Torchwood Three; Cardiff, Wales **

Gwen Cooper sat in the conference room reviewing Birmingham police reports. Finding the files the department connected to the Sisters took effort. Sayer gave them a ten-year time span. Kailen grabbed all the cases for that time. Gwen sorted the files by type, and only viewed certain ones. After years of Torchwood, and viewing police files, sorting took little effort. She found five suspicious deaths and several more cases that made her wonder.

Her mobile rang. “Cooper.”

“Hey,” the general said.

“About time.” She’d already called him twice.

“What did you need, mum?”

“I want to hide my London and Global searches from Anwen.”

The general chuckled. “How?”

“You set them up remotely from Four.”

“That won’t work.”

“Do it anyway,” Gwen insisted.

“If you send the information through the hub, she will know.”

“I will read you the first list. Any additional information I will send from home.”

 

** Torchwood Nova Scotia; Truro, Nova Scotia, Canada **

Eryn Sylla set a thermos of strong coffee on Kailen’s desk next to him. She was not amused. Luc woke her after receiving a message from Captain Harkness. He needed computer work done and Kailen was drunk. Aman looked sober, but she could think of no reason Kailen would be drinking alone.

“Give it a rest, Er.”

“No, I won’t. We have a job to do. You wouldn’t have gotten drunk at home.”

“We’re not home.”

“No, we’re not. That life is gone. We have responsibilities.”

Kailen sighed. “Dad’s gone.”

“What?” Eryn grabbed a chair.

“I think mum got out.”

Tears welled in her eyes. “When?”

“Sunday morning. Law enforcement got it screwed up somewhere. The local police and Interpol reports claim Erik Obasanjo used a suicide bomber against Shujaa. Shujaa then reportedly retaliated by taking out dad’s safe house north of Cape Town.”

“That’s,” she swore in Zulu. 

“Yeah. I sent General Williams a detailed email to check it out. The information is so ridiculous, the cops are really stupid or the police reports are fake.”

“Maybe dad isn’t…”

“No. I called that mortician and asked. Joubert recognized my voice.” Tears rolled off Kailen’s cheeks. “He didn’t give me names, but he said fourteen people had died in the last few days and two were missing. He sounded scared. It has to be some type of power play.”

“That would unite all three groups.” Eryn wiped at the tears. “What about mum?”

“Aunt Desta’s church is on lock-down. The locals who protect it are preparing for an attack.”

“Would anyone hate dad enough to go after Desta?”

“I don’t think so. Aman’s been making calls. Both of his dad’s mistresses are dead.”

“Why would anyone kill them? Mr. Oliveira wouldn’t have told them anything.”

“I don’t know.”

“What aren’t you telling me?”

“I think Aman has reconnected with his dad’s business. He’s getting information from somewhere.”

“Not my dad.” Aman had approached silently. “Idrissa, future Aman’s friend. He returned to Nigeria. Reports from Cameroon are just as strange.”

“Who benefits?” Eryn asked.

“No one.” Aman set his hands on Kailen’s shoulders. “A power vacuum will cause a bigger blood bath. No one else has the connections to establish the networks.”

 

** Torchwood Three; Cardiff, Wales **

Jack Harkness reviewed the information Kailen sent. CCTV cameras inside stores were different from general mall cameras. The woman Ken described was Verity Holdsworth of Birmingham. Kailen included video of Holdsworth’s reaction to Ianto. There was no doubt the woman was afraid of him. Another video showed her watching the kids before Rhys’ disappearance. Her expression was different, but also an indication of fear. She made a call as she left the Disney store. Facial recognition indicated she headed for the nearest exit.

Holdsworth’s mobile records showed a call to a burner phone. It lasted five minutes. A search for the burner showed it was activated on Friday and had had no activity since Saturday. Five different numbers were called. Three burners, Holdsworth and mall security. A review of Mercia Tew’s mobile records showed calls to Holdsworth, but not the burner. Information on all four burners was similar. They were purchased and activated within minutes of each other. The information itself wasn’t very useful, but it could be used to review possible Sisters tactics.

Social media provided basic information. Holdsworth worked for child protective services in Birmingham. A job with the necessary connections to identify and relocate endangered children. It also meant she had an extensive city background check and computerized work history. Tracing children that disappeared in state care would be complicated. Checking for abusive parents who died while their kids were in custody or after the children were returned might work. He did a search through the police records Kailen already retrieved. Several parents were suddenly arrested for various crimes and one suspected pedophile reportedly left town, or England, to escape prosecution.

Jack headed to the conference room from his office. Gwen mentioned more questionable cases than the five she was looking for. More criteria would probably increase the number. She was sitting at the conference room table with a laptop, two tablets and a spiral notebook.

“We have a name for the woman Ken identified.” He sat across the table from her. 

“Either Torchwood has made me paranoid, or the situation in Birmingham is a lot worse than Sayer thought. We’re going to have to track the Sisters.” She handed Jack her written notes. “Or recruit them.”

Jack explained what he knew about Holdsworth.

“She was more afraid of Ianto?” Gwen shook her head. 

Jack quickly reviewed her notes. “Is there any connection between cases?”

Gwen shook her head. “A missing kid was born in Cardiff. A man who was killed by a flame-thrower was also born in Cardiff.”

“Were the kid’s parents abusive?”

“Directly, I don’t know. The girl lived with her addict father and dealer mother. She disappeared from a foster home a week after her mother was stabbed to death by a junkie.”

Gwen looked like she thought of something. “Jack, if Holdsworth is afraid of Ianto because she knows he died and came back, wouldn’t she be more afraid of you.”

“Then the spirit marks. Nessa could sense them.”

“Nessa treats Ianto like a kindred spirit. He doesn’t scare her.”

“You think he has a Rift ability?” Jack shook his head. “I would have seen it by now.”

“Jack, we don’t understand Rift abilities. The general said they are based on personalities. How did my sensitive three-year-old manifest a weapon? And he’s connected to Anwen. He has to know in some way what she can do. Why did Trefor need to take out Tew instead of Anwen?”

Jack realized he hadn’t thought about it. Trefor started talking about protecting his sister after what happened in the warehouse. Which wasn’t necessary, unless they weren’t seeing something. He hadn’t thought to ask what his son needed to protect Anwen from.

“Maybe Rift abilities shape personalities.”

“Anwen is a leader. Her abilities are about control. Trefor is a general. He can identify and kill his enemies. Ianto is a carer. If he has an ability, it probably has something to do with caring for his family.”

“He doesn’t have Rift energy.”

“The Dove family have abilities and no Rift energy.”

“I hope you’re wrong.”

“I hope I’m wrong. We’ll have to wait and see. What are we doing about the Sisters?”

“I’m going to call.”

Gwen smiled. “You don’t want to walk into a building filled with angry feminists with psychic abilities?”


	16. Chapter 16

** Dreamscape **

Gwen Cooper found herself standing among alien plants. One she recognized from the greenhouse. A strange cat-like creature perched in a strange tree with gray bark and blue leaves. A small primate hopped onto her shoulder and tugged on her hair. A chill set in despite the warm sun. An odd smell of damp roses filled the air. 

“Morpheus?” She asked. 

When he didn’t appear, she started walking. The wild, alien garden felt familiar somehow. The plants and animals were diverse. An overgrown, mosaic walking path led to a ridiculous hunting retreat. Photographs decorated the walls. Stuffed animals were displayed throughout. Unlike the gardens, the retreat felt staged. 

Voices drew her to an even more ridiculous dining room. It had a chandelier hanging in the center of the room over a massive table. The image shifted and several people were seated around one end of the table. One was Rhys. He unrolled a map. It showed an island.

“There is some type of barrier.” Rhys motioned at the map. 

“Where are you?” Gwen heard her own voice, but no one reacted.

A petite blond woman set a hand over Rhys’. She wore clothing from the sixties or seventies.

Rhys looked torn. “I have a wife and children.”

Gwen couldn’t hear the woman’s response. The room faded, replaced by an empty space. A young girl with a dark complexion and green eyes appeared in front of her. She looked lost. A purple mist slid from nowhere around the child’s ankles and swirled up her legs. “My grandpa is worried.”

“Who are you?”

The child shook her head until the purple surrounded her and the dream faded.

 

** Torchwood Three; Cardiff, Wales **

** Tuesday, May 5, 2020 **

The dream persisted as Gwen got ready for the day. She could still hear the monkey chattering in her ear and smell roses at times. Trefor had an odd expression on his face as she got him ready for the day. 

“What?” She bent down to tie his shoe.

“Why are you dreaming?”

She sat back and met his eyes. “We don’t dream when we’re awake.”

“Monsters aren’t real.”

Gwen could only imagine that was sarcasm. The comment and the dream fragments stayed with her as they drove to the hub. She wasn’t sure what to do. Jack would listen, but he’d worry. Bree would assume a mental health issue associated with Rhys’ disappearance. She couldn’t talk to Ianto about dreams. He was still having the occasional nightmare.

Anwen waited until Trefor went into Ianto’s office. “I’m going to ask Ianto to take us to the Red Dragon Centre for lunch. I know you’re worried. Trefor thinks we’re being punished for what happened at the mall. I tried to explain you’re worried about dad, but he doesn’t understand.” A regretful expression crossed her face. “Ianto’s protected. Trefor and I can protect ourselves. We’ll be okay.”

“We think Tew was connected to some bad people.”

“Yeah, mum. I checked the computer. I know about Birmingham and the chicks who worship the Rift. No one is going to think Ianto abuses us. If they try anything, it will go the same way as Tew or the creature that took out the front of Jack and Ianto’s flat.”

“Trefor’s ability is dangerous.”

“I know. I told him we’re superheroes. We can’t abuse our special abilities.”

“It’s not that simple.”

“Yeah, it is. Trefor hurt one person. If he hadn’t, I would have tossed Tew in the Rift. Same result. Trefor reacted faster.” Anwen paused. “It’s horrible. Kids should believe the world is perfect and that they have nothing to worry about.” Anwen shook her head. “That shipped sailed. The world isn’t perfect. No matter how much you and Uncle Jack want us to be normal kids, it’s not possible. It never was.” She hesitated. “Our Rift abilities have nothing to do with Torchwood.”

Anwen being Anwen. Jack and the general had both said similar things. Eleven years old and she’d already dealt with home invasions and attacks on Torchwood. Bree talked about survival mechanisms. Nessa joked the kids were bad arses like their mum.

She could ask Nessa. She understood the supernatural associated with Wales. Gwen opted for the garden. It was peaceful and no one would likely bother her unless they were specifically looking. She didn’t have the number, so she called the general. 

“Morning.” He sounded tired.

“Is Nessa there? I need to ask her something.”

“Her aunt has no idea what happened at the mall.”

“No. I need to ask about dreams. Not Trefor’s nightmares.”

“Hold on.”

Waiting gave her time to think. Although the dream was strange, it didn’t mean Morpheus had anything to do with it. The images could be from old movies. It felt like the dreamscape Morpheus created. The lingering sound and smell made it difficult to dismiss. 

“Morning,” Nessa said. “Trefor said something about dreams.”

It took Gwen a moment. The Dove family called the older version of her son Trefor instead of the general. “Yeah. Have you ever heard the name Morpheus? Not mythology.”

“Yeah. He’s a being that can enter dreams.” Nessa hesitated. “Why?”

Gwen explained about the dog, rescuing the woman and the dream about Morpheus. “He looked like a demon with lavender eyes.”

“Dealing with ancient beings can be problematic. Mothmen are a pop culture example. They’re outside anything we understand and possibly anything we can understand. Their motivations are foreign. They may not understand us any better. We could be curiosities or ants to them.”

Gwen described the dream and baby Trefor’s comment about still dreaming.

“Morpheus has two brothers. They have different powers. If it’s more than stress over Rhys’ disappearance, it could be another dreamscape or a prophetic dream.” Nessa hesitated. “I’ve never heard of the brothers lying to and abusing humans. But they could. In one story, sleep sand was how Morpheus killed people that angered him. The person would die while asleep, and sand would fall out of the person’s ear.”

“Could you send me information?”

“Yeah.” Nessa paused. “You need to look at who the woman is you rescued. Don’t approach her. Don’t bother her. But find out everything you can about her. Ancients protect humans for various reasons. They’re not always good reasons.”


	17. Chapter 17

** Davies Daycare; Cardiff, Wales **

** Tuesday, July 28, 2020 **

Jack Harkness parked Ianto’s car in the car park adjacent to Rhiannon’s daycare. He knew at some point Ianto’s sister would find out if Ianto didn’t tell her. It was only surprising the secret lasted more than a year. Jack stepped onto the pavement. He still wasn’t sure what he would tell her.

Unable to cope with Ianto’s death, and what he did to take out the 456, he left Earth. Under other circumstances, Ianto’s remains would have joined the countless Torchwood agents that died before him. Instead, Rhiannon had a funeral with an open casket and burial. When he returned before Miracle Day, he had Ianto moved. A personal decision he tried to justify to himself and Rhiannon. 

She held the door open as he approached. He could hear children in the various rooms. The bright, colorful daycare said a lot about Rhiannon Davies. After Miracle Day, she changed. A transformation no less dramatic than Ianto’s after joining Torchwood Three. The trauma exposed a strength she didn’t know she had.

“Morning.” She led down the hall to her office.

When he finally got his act together after Ianto’s death, he’d seen to Rhiannon and her family. During the 456 nightmare, her and her husband went to great lengths to protect the area children. Although motivated by her husband’s greed to begin with, it changed when the severity of the situation became apparent.

“What did you do?” Rhiannon closed the office door behind him.

“You will have to be specific.”

She motioned toward a chair and pulled another one over. “I saw my brother, Jack. He had two children with him. Gwen’s kids, I would guess.”

“It’s not what I did,” he said carefully. “When the Torchwood office returned, Ianto returned with it.”

“When?”

“Midsummer last year. Ianto’s been dealing with post-traumatic stress. He’s doing better, but he didn’t know what to say.”

“He’s alive?”

“Yes. Ianto woke in the hub as if no time passed.”

Tears welled in her eyes. “Is my brother happy?”

“Most days. He manages the office and takes care of Gwen’s kids. It started out with Gwen needing an occasional favor. Now he jokes that office management and daycare is the same job.”

Rhiannon grabbed a tissue. “I couldn’t help but watch. The kids love him. I just stood there thinking my brother would have been a good dad.” Tears streamed down her face. “I found out about Lisa after…” She wiped at the tears. “Ianto was suicidal after she died. I only found the one diary. He referenced another, but Gwen didn’t know where it was.”

Jack had no idea what to say. Ianto’s original journal was destroyed when the government blew up the hub during the 456 situation. As for Lisa, Ianto spiraled into a suicidal depression after she finally died. She’d been partially converted by the Cyberman that burned the Institute down. What was left of her died in the hub.

“Are you back together?”

“Yeah. We share a flat.”

“I want to see my brother.”

“I need to talk to him. You could come by our building.” Jack figured Ianto would want to show off the yard. With Rhys missing, no one said much about it.

 

Ianto Jones felt the anxiety swell as he reviewed everything he wanted to do before Rhiannon arrived. Their flat was in order, the maintenance bots had cleaned the public areas and the unused flats. He’d finished the yard. Jack took the kids out for pizza. Gwen was at the hub doing research. He checked his watch, standing by the car park door. In the past year, he’d dealt with gunmen, aliens, and John Hart. His sister shouldn’t be stressing him out. 

When she arrived and stepped out of her car, he suddenly had no idea what to say. He stepped into the car park and waved, feeling stupid. Rhiannon hurried over and hugged him. She looked so much different from the last time he saw her. Not just older but more confident.

“I can’t believe it.” Tears rolled down her cheeks. 

Ianto took her hand and motioned toward the backyard. Their family had always been complicated. Admitting his relationship with Jack had been difficult. Explaining he came back from the dead and everything that followed was too much. He could show her the rose bushes he planted for Rhys and the building when she asked. 

“Jack said you’re the office manager?”

“Yeah. Maintaining the building is part of managing Torchwood. As most of us live here.”

“You did all of this by yourself?”

The small backyard had flower beds bordering the fence and rose bushes along the building. “Anwen and Trefor helped with the flowers.” A lockbox near the side had sports equipment, although they hadn’t had much of an opportunity to use any of it. 

“I saw you with the kids. They adore you.”

“Some days.” 

“Daycare is like that. One minute they’re angelic. The next they’re sprouting horns.”

“How are your kids? Johnny?”

“Good.” Rhiannon’s tone shifted. “Jack showed up after he’d gotten his head on straight. He moved us off the estate. We’ve got a good life.”

“I know. I checked. I didn’t know what to say.”

She squeezed his hand. “We’ll figure it out.”

What had happened to his sister that she could find out he came back from the dead and she’d just accept it? He’d heard about what she and Johnny did to protect children during the 456 situation. That could change a person. 

“Do I get to see the inside too? Jack says you’re sharing a flat.”

Just like that, he thought, heading back toward the door. One of the last times he’d seen Rhiannon, she’d been shocked he was dating a man. But then ten years had passed. Jack’s mourning had to have been obvious. The same with his concern for his lover’s family.

“When do I get to meet the kids?” She asked as he held the door for her.

“I don’t know. Did Jack mentioned Rhys?” 


	18. Chapter 18

** Tasman Sea near New Zealand **

** February 18, 1948 **

The sky suddenly darkened as the wind picked up. Jack Harkness had an uneasy feeling as the USCGC Arctic Wind headed south past New Zealand. The Wind-class icebreaker crew was already on edge. The ship’s engineer retreated to his room an hour earlier for his Bible and was still carrying it around the ship. No one said anything. When jack asked, he learned Dominic Russo had survived three disasters on the open sea and was believed to have a six sense.

Dr. Dmitri Petrescu stepped into the doorway. A tall man with longish wavy black hair and tan suit. “I spoke to the ship’s captain. He’s turning around.”

“Good idea.”

Jack dropped his foot from the railing and turned. He’d seen any number of storms on the land and sea. There was something wrong about the current one. A feeling that something unseen was happening grabbed him. He could do nothing but wait.

“I overheard part of a conversation.” Dmitri stepped back. “It’s a typhoon. Except…”

“They take days to form, and this is the wrong part of the world.” Jack ducked entering the doorway and reached for the hatch.

“Exactly.”

With the door secured behind him, he wondered if there was anything he should be doing. He and Dmitri were guests of the Americans. Scientists studying the Antarctic ocean south of New Zealand made an unexpected discovery. The Torchwood Institute had already made arrangements for them to join the icebreaker crew before communications were lost. An unexplained Russian group, calling themselves researchers, found an abandoned base. One of the team spoke English and spoke over the radio. The scientists and their vehicles were missing, suggesting they fled over land. Without satellites, established bases or decent technology, there wasn’t much they could do but investigate in person.

“Why did you tell people I was Greek?” Dmitri walked behind him in the narrow hallway.

“Americans are judgmental. Most have never heard of Romania. There were already rumors you were Russian.” Jack sighed. “Greek sounded better.”

“I’ve never been to Greece.”

“None of them have either. Mention Athens, ruins with big pillars and a cousin name Constantine. They won’t know the difference.”

Dmitri laughed. “Why are we here anyway?”

“There have been unexplained readings in this area. There could be a ship in the ice.”

“You’re serious?”

“Unfortunately.” The last Torchwood team that tried to check the area had unexplained mental health issues. Three of the eight survived. Only one was sane enough to discuss it but he had no idea what happened. 

“Any reports of weird weather?”

 

** (hospital); Bluff, New Zealand **

** March 1, 1948 **

Jack Harkness woke in a hospital room. At least it wasn’t the morgue. After a couple minutes, he realized he had no idea how he got there. The last thing he remembered was talking to Dmitri. The door opened and a small woman wearing a nearly ankle length, pale blue dress with a white bow with blue dots around her neck. Her eyes sparkled with amusement as she quietly closed the door behind her.

“I told the nurse I was your wife’s sister.” She laughed. “Who knew an impractical dress and a ridiculous bow could sell a lie that big.” She handed him a change of clothes.

Jack pushed himself up. “Who are you?”

“Tiarni Atmore. From the Atmore Nature Preserve on Tas, Captain Harkness.” She chuckled. “It’s Torchwood. Like the Falklands station but with more wildlife, and exotic gardens.”

“You find this funny?” He looked around. “Where are my clothes?”

“I’m generational Torchwood. You laugh or you cry.” She walked over to a closet and retrieved what had been wearing. “I need to get you out of here before the authorities realize you’re awake.”

“Why?”

“The Arctic Wind is missing. Not sank. Missing. The locals don’t have the technology to know that. What they do know is there is a survivor. A civilian boat found you on an island that doesn’t exist.”

“I need to get dressed.”

Tiarni turned around. “I can’t go eying my sister’s husband. What will the nurses think?”

“How are we getting passed the nurses?”

She laughed. “We removed some pig from an abandoned farm.”

“You’re setting pigs free in a hospital?”

“Yeah. Quick, easy distraction. No one gets hurt.”

After dressing, he grabbed his boots. “What’s the situation with the Antarctic research team?”

“Gone. The Russians were attacked by something and aren’t talking.”

 

** Atmore Nature Preserve on Tas; Tasmania, Australia **

** March 2, 1948 **

The Torchwood office was hidden in the middle of an opulent house. Anyone looking at it would assume a ridiculous hunting retreat. Photographs, paintings and stuff creatures of all shapes and sizes. None of the hunters shown could be clearly seen or identified. Several of the birds were probably fake. What really struck him as unusual was the number of women. It was unusual even for Torchwood.

Tiarni led through a door concealed by a moving bookcase into an impressive room filled with scavenged alien technology. Radios and telegraphs were against one wall. The more he thought about it, the more it looked like a military office.

“What is this place?”

“A monitoring station," she explained. "Several bizarre lifeforms and unexplained events have our scientists wondering if there is a second Rift.”

“Is that what happened to the Arctic Wind?”

“We don’t know.”

“The captain was turning the ship around. There was concern that a typhoon forming.”

“No storm of any kind. There was a purple aurora for eight hours the night after the ship disappeared.” She shrugged. “Purple isn’t normal.”

“Do you have details on the lifeforms?”

“We have more lifeforms than details. Atmore isn’t a Nature Preserve. It's a zoo and exo-botany facility.”

“Is there evidence of a second Rift?” It didn’t sound plausible.

“No. No Rift. No portal. No alien ship. No technology. Nothing to explain the lifeforms and plants found in the immediate vicinity.” She motioned around the room. “There is an invisible boundary. If any of the creatures or plants are removed from the area, they die. No explanation.”

“Have you checked the water, soil, and stone?”

“Yes. There is nothing.” Tiarni paused. “The area also has an odd affect on people. Generally, women can handle it and men can’t. We don’t know why.”


	19. Chapter 19

** Torchwood Three; Cardiff, Wales **

** Saturday, August 1, 2020 **

Jack Harkness appreciated a quiet morning with Ianto in the hub. After a few ridiculous conversations with politicians and a representative asking about alien abduction, he wanted to disconnect the phone. Two people in the area claim they were repeat-abductees. When a teenage girl disappeared, the representative wanted to know why Torchwood wasn’t protecting people.

“Why did you tell someone in the FSB I was your secretary?” Ianto asked.

He grabbed Ianto around the waist and sat back on his desk. “What’s wrong with being my secretary?”

“Should I make a list?” Ianto’s annoyance was cute. Jack figured Ianto wouldn’t appreciate the observation.

“It gives me an excuse to chase you around the office.”

“You need an excuse?”

Jack kissed him. When the door alarm sounded, they were unbuttoning each other’s shirts. The newer one had been installed by Luc. Gwen wouldn’t tell the kid why she wanted a louder alarm. She’d previously walked in on them, and wanted to avoid it happening again.

“Gwen is here.” Ianto stepped back, buttoning his shirt.

“It could be Bree.”

“No. Bree is in London helping Jodi move. There is a problem with Jodi’s mother.” 

“Gwen and the kids will use the conference room. We can find a room that doesn’t have windows.”

Ianto laughed. “The alchemy workshop has a bed.”

“You cleaned it?”

“With the mini bots. It was filthy.”

Jack kissed him again quickly. “I’ll join you.”

The desk phone rang. “Harkness.”

“Jack,” a familiar voice said. 

Jack motioned at Ianto. 

“Who is this?”

“Jack? It’s Dmitri. Petrescu.”

Dmitri Petrescu, he mouthed to Ianto.

Ianto hesitated. “Torchwood doctor lost at sea.” 

“Where are you?”

“New Zealand. What happened to the Arctic Wind?”

Arctic Wind?

“You were shipwrecked in 1948.”

Jack vaguely remembered that. “Shipwreck.”

“I don’t remember.” Dmitri trailed off. “We were talking about something stupid. You told the crew I was Greek.”

“Where in New Zealand?”

“Bluff, I think. A hospital.”

“Are you safe?” He motioned Ianto over.

“I think so. I tried to give the nurse the relay number, but she said it didn’t have enough numbers. I had to find a phone to call. All the equipment is strange.”

Jack had no idea how a phone relay from 1948 worked. “I need to make arrangements. My secretary is going to stay on the phone.” 

Dmitri groaned. “Do I want to know?”

“Dr. Petrescu, I’m Mr. Jones.”

 

(hospital); Bluff, New Zealand

Jack used a portal device to quickly reach New Zealand. He vaguely remembered the port city. Too much had happened for him since 1948. If it wasn’t for Ianto’s research, he wouldn’t know what little that he did. Once he had eyes on Petrescu, he would ask for more information. 

He scanned the area and found no alien technology. The twelve hour time difference meant it was dark. The weather was opposite as the seasons were different in different hemispheres. The few people out in the cold and dark hurried. Nothing stood out.

The ear com chimed and Jack tapped it.

“Morning.” Gwen sounded tired. “An unidentified man was found under unusual circumstances. No details. Coastguard New Zealand transported him to Bluff for medical treatment. He identified himself as Dr. Petrescu, but would not provide a first name. He said he was a passenger on the USCGC Arctic Wind. No ship and no debris were found in the area. According to the London mainframe, the Arctic Wind disappeared between New Zealand and Tasmania in February 1948. It vanished without a trace. One survivor. You were found and transported to Bluff.” Humor crept into her voice. “The Torchwood agent who extracted you from the hospital released pigs as a distraction.”

That tugged at his memory. He didn’t remember the hospital clearly or the pigs, but he remembered her. A beautiful woman who was always amused. Somehow he knew she died, but not how. After that many years, it was expected. But he suspected there was more to it.

“Are there details about the agent? Or what location?”

“No. Anwen said the file is partially blocked. If she can’t access it as head of global, and she’s working on it, I will have Ianto contact Woodside.”

The toll time took on his memory frustrated him. There was something he needed to remember. “Find out what Ianto already knows. He researched a lot of my history because I wouldn’t talk about myself before.” Before the 456 and the ten years he was gone. The emotions associated with the mystery agent made him wonder if they’d been lovers, and like Ianto, he got her killed.

“There is a problem at the hospital. Dr. Petrescu was found. Ianto identified himself as Torchwood, and said that the doctor is a missing agent. The nurse he spoke to didn’t believe him and ended the call.”

Another thought occurred to Jack as he reached the hospital entrance. He didn’t remember the doctor. “Can you send me Petrescu’s photo?”

“Sent,” Ianto said over the ear com. “Petrescu said you were friends. He was puzzled by you having a boyfriend he hadn’t heard about. He said it was the only reason you would call someone your secretary.”

Jack wondered if that was a statement or a question. Gwen resorted to telling people she was his secretary at times and he teased her about it. Much like he was teasing Ianto earlier. “I don’t know.”

He entered the hospital and checked his mobile. The image looked familiar much like the man’s voice had sounded. Not knowing was problematic. 

“Captain Jack Harkness, Torchwood.” He held his credentials at the help desk. From the man’s initial expression, he probably recognized the clothes. “One of my people was brought in by the Coastguard.”

The process took long enough to annoy him. The hospital was contesting Torchwood jurisdiction. An evening administrator said she needed proof that Dr. Petrescu was a Torchwood agent. They had been unable to find the name using various searches.

“Ma’am, most Torchwood agents are not publicly known. Their identities are protected.” It sounded good. “Dmitri called and Torchwood arrived.”

“The number he provided for Torchwood is invalid.”

“Obviously, Dmitri’s traumatized. I need to take him home.”

The woman argued, “We have been unable to contact his family.”

“I am not authorized to provide personal information.”

If the hospital in 1948 was anything like the current version, he understood why the agent released pigs. The situation was ridiculous. Since Torchwood became public knowledge, and pictures went viral on the Internet, few people argued jurisdiction. Most were law enforcement somehow connected to Basanjo. Or Cardiff PD who didn’t like the competition. A hospital administrator was new.

“I can’t release him to you.”

“I need to speak with him.”

She reluctantly agreed. A nurse escorted him to Petrescu’s secured room. When he back was turned for a moment, he quickly scanned the doctor for CN before using his portal device. The hospital had obviously given Petrescu something after the call was disrupted. He would need nanogenes before he could answer questions.


	20. Chapter 20

** Torchwood Three; Cardiff, Wales **

Ianto Jones checked the scan readings after the nanogenes finished purging Dr. Petrescu’s system. The hospital gave him a heavy sedative, and little for his injuries. Additional scans said he had chronons from moving through time but no Rift energy. The portal devices they used left a temporary energy signature. There was no other indication of his obvious time travel.

“Where am I?”

“Torchwood Three infirmary. Wales.”

Petrescu opened his eyes. “Jack’s friend.”

Ianto reminded himself that the man was not trying to insult him. “Ianto Jones. I’m the office manager.”

“Why wouldn’t Jack mention you?”

Ianto pulled over a chair. “Dmitri,” Ianto said carefully, “Jack didn’t know me in 1948. Do you know about Jack’s healing ability?” He had no idea how widely known Jack’s immortality was. Jack didn’t even know the specifics in 1948.

“Yeah. What year is it?”

“2020.”

“How?”

“Jack’s working on that. Do you remember anything about what happened?”

“No.” Petrescu’s expression changed. “The Captain was trying to avoid a storm. A typhoon was coming out of nowhere.”

Ianto tapped his ear com. “Gwen, was there a typhoon in the area where the Arctic Wind disappeared?”

“Not that I saw. I will check again. We need you to contact Woodside to find out why we can’t access the information on the agent with the pigs.”

“Have Anwen contact Woodside. He already knows, and won’t argue her authorization.”

“All right.” The com connection ended.

“This place is impressive. Is the Torchwood Institute this nice?”

“No. It was destroyed more than ten years ago.”

“What happened?”

“An alien attack.” Ianto hesitated. “I’m one of the few survivors.”

“I’m sorry.”

“What were you and Jack investigating in 1948?”

“He doesn’t remember.” Petrescu looked at Ianto. “Does he remember me?”

“Not enough.”

Petrescu explained what he knew about the expedition. “There was something wrong with the entire situation. Were the missing scientists found?”

“We’re still researching the situation.”

“Can you send me back?”

In theory, the next time John Hart returned, it was possible. “Changing the past is a bad idea.” Which made him a hypocrite. The only reason he was alive was because a future head of Torchwood Global rewrote the past.

Petrescu pushed himself up. “Where does that leave me?”

“We need a doctor.”

“After seventy years.” He shook his head. “I would have to relearn.”

“You didn’t go into medicine, or join Torchwood, because you wanted easy.”

Patrescu smiled. “No. I had to create an entire background and lie my way into medical school. I was already a part of Torchwood when someone at Oxford realized it. Jack had a conversation with the Chancellor. I don’t know what he said. It wasn’t mentioned again.”

“What was the problem?”

“Stupidity.”

The infirmary door opened and Anwen entered. She carried a tablet and a dictionary. “Uncle Jack is talking to Luc about whether or not the Arctic Wind is a  related disappearance. The tablet has restricted access. If you need a translator, I can find you one.” She handed them to Petrescu. “I will meet you in the office with Trefor. Mum…”

“Yeah.” Ianto sympathized. Anwen didn’t need to say it. Gwen was comparing the missing ship and what happened to Jack and Petrescu in 1948 to Rhys’ disappearance. Whenever she found a possibility, dealing with her could be stressful.

“You have children here?” He asked after the door closed behind her.

“It’s a long story.” Anwen was technically in charge of the entire Torchwood network.

Ianto left Petrescu in the infirmary to starting working through seventy years of change.

 

** Torchwood Nova Scotia; Truro, Nova Scotia, Canada **

Luc Sarkisian stretched. Eryn brought him a mug of coffee and settled into a chair next to him. She looked as tired as he felt. Although the situation with Dr. Petrescu was potentially time sensitive, there wasn’t much they could do about New Zealand from Canada. The vague similarities between the missing ship and Rhys made it more frustrating. Gwen and Anwen wanted answers. He wished John would return from wherever. He was better at handling impossible situations.

“Jack, it’s what 10 AM there? We’re in different time zones.” 

“We need footage from Coastguard New Zealand. When we get a better time-line, we need to look at what satellites were in the area.”

“Kailen is not hacking anything for awhile. He and Aman got drunk last night.”

“Are they all right?”

“Yeah.”  Until they are sober and Eryn gives them a piece of her mind.

“We need to track down records from the US, Great Britain and possibly Russia from 1947 and 1948.”

“A quick Internet search said the US had two major projects in Antarctica in 1947,” Luc said. “An international effort started in 1957. After 1959, the Antarctic Treaty banned military actions on the continent.” It was too early in the morning to be puzzling out seventy-year-old mysteries. 

“Captain Harkness,” Eryn said, “The records would all be paper. Anything after 1959 should be covered by the US Freedom of Information Act.” She paused. “You have a friend in the CIA. The Arctic Wind crew and the missing scientists were all Americans. He will know about Dr. Petrescu before long, if he doesn’t already, and will be looking for his own answers. He will have to find the records. Claiming its military or classified would admit a violation of an international treaty.”

“Impressive.”

“My job is dealing with bureaucracy. My background tells me to learn everything I can about the enemy. Thankfully, bureaucrats’ weapons of choice are rules and red tape.”

“Any other ideas?”

“The Coastguard New Zealand, according to their website, is a volunteer organization. They aren’t government or military. Given how widely known Torchwood is after several stories went viral, they might give you the information. If they won’t cooperate, that’s information by itself.” 

Luc sat a hand on Eryn’s and smiled. Nice, he mouthed.

“When Kailen is sober, I need to speak with him.”

 

Jack Harkness was impressed with Eryn’s initial comments and the follow-up email. The general commented about future Eryn, but hadn’t provided details. He needed to check her future profile on the London mainframe. After everything she’d been through, she probably needed more time to adjust, but returning to school was necessary at some point. He would leave a note for Ianto to check Canadian universities.

He needed to contact Rex. Under other circumstances, he’d have Gwen call. Rex knew about Rhys; hopefully, it wouldn’t be a problem. Before he could check his address book, for the phone number, Gwen entered the office gripping a tablet. She looked tired. Lack of sleep didn’t help.

“Did you find something?”

“Woodside sent Anwen inaccurate information. The Torchwood woman who found you in New Zealand was Tiarni Atmore. She’s listed as belonging to Torchwood India. Except Eleanor, the Duchess was in charge of Torchwood India then. There is no way she sent a woman.” Gwen set the tablet on the desk.

When Jack reached for it, she flinched and backed up. “Sit down.”

“It's the stress.” She didn’t have to tell him that. 

After they kissed while trapped in the police station, things changed between them. It reminded him of their connection before she married Rhys. It was likely they would have crossed a line. After Rhys disappeared, Gwen felt guilty. The general reminded him of what happened to Rhys in his time-line. Gwen was crumbling under the stress and pressure. The attraction added to her guilt.

“What else?”

“Tiarni Atmore’s profile indicates she spoke a tribal language. I checked Nigeria files. Multiple past agents spoke tribal languages. Each language has a profile describing the name or names, country or region. Specific details. Even when the descriptions were ignorant, they had details.”

“Have you checked for genealogy information?”

“An Atmore family is associated with scientific research prior to the 1940s. There was a family connection to Australia. One London historical society lists James Atmore as an anthropologist who lived with an Aboriginal tribe. It's noted that his family learned many tribal languages.”

Jack couldn’t think of a situation where Torchwood would create inaccurate files. He could only imagination something really bad happened. Concealing evidence suggested the information could be used to repeat a mistake or a series of mistakes. The situation with CN illuminated questionable decisions. Which made him think of another possibility. Torchwood concealed CN research. Perhaps it wasn’t the only black-ops project.


	21. Chapter 21

** Hughes Flats; Cardiff, Wales **

** Monday, August 2, 2020 **

Gwen Cooper lay in bed wondering what she’d missed. No matter how crazy a Torchwood situation, there was always something to follow: scan readings, evidence, CCTV footage or witnesses. Something they could analyze. Yet, with all her experience, and Torchwood’s technology, the investigation stalled.

Luc reviewed what little information they had from Nova Scotia. He had no ideas. When she found websites with similar stories, Kailen traced them. Three incidents sounded possible. Unfortunately, the investigators had less to go on. The only solid notes came from a priest in 1964. His conclusions were religious, but when viewed from a different angle, had clues. Without realizing it, Father Reilly connected his case to Torchwood. The victim’s daughter worked for the Torchwood Institute in London.

The general insisted he had no idea what happened. His memories were different. He searched Torchwood Four’s files. Nessa, who had joined him at Four with her two siblings, contacted her Aunt Colina and the Cardiff psychic community. The unexpected death of Dafina, a well-respected psychic, delayed interviews. Those who agreed to speak with Gwen offered their sympathies and regrets; they had nothing to offer.

Contacting Donnell Woodside, the Torchwood librarian in the Falklands left her wondering if he knew something. He harbored Derrian Talbot and kept secrets from them. After a couple calls, he insisted he knew nothing and would contact her if that changed.

Between her and Jack, they called law enforcement directly or indirectly in every major country and some others. They collected files on unexplained disappearances. Most were mundane. Jack helped solve a few. No one had anything related to Rhys.

Rex Masterson, like Woodside, gave her the impression he knew something. He reminded her more and more of Jack. Rather than Torchwood, he dedicated his quirky immortal existence to protecting the United States through the CIA. After Miracle Day, and being forced to watch Vera Juarez die, his view on his job changed. Similar to what she knew of Jack’s past with Torchwood. If it was some type of conspiracy, and Rex knew about it, he’d deal with it. 

All that remained was checking closed Torchwood facilities for additional records. Nigeria was in surprisingly good condition. Despite Miriam Morgan’s raid on the Fellowship of Inner Peace, the structure and technology were intact. Jack wouldn’t admit it, but he suspected someone was maintaining the facility. Regardless of future Aman’s misguided approach, he’d saved a lot of lives. The fact that the Refuge didn’t attack again said they didn’t have a problem with it. The other facilities had different oddities, but nothing unexpected. 

Gwen sat up as the first rays of sunlight filtered through her bedroom window. She needed to check her email, social media and repeat searches. Someone somewhere knew something. She would find them.

 

Anwen Williams stood with her arms crossed staring at her baby brother. He wouldn’t get dressed or brush his teeth. He even tried throwing blocks at her. All three were suspended in the air between them. She’d been up half the night with him after a nightmare. She’s read his favorite story. Now he wanted to play with blocks instead of getting ready. 

Their mum needed to work on dad’s case. It didn’t matter it had been three months or that everything she read said the odds that dad was still alive were minimal. Mum needed to try. Which meant they needed to get dressed. 

“Ready?” Her mom asked, stepping into the doorway.

“No. He’s being an arse.”

“Did you sleep?”

“Some. Trefor had a nightmare.” She lowered the blocks to the floor.

“I will get him ready. Get some breakfast.”

She headed for the kitchen and checked her mobile as she cooked. The information her mother found the night before was nothing new. All she could think of that the lack of information had to mean something. Anwen didn’t even realize she’d made enough for the three of them until it was halfway done. 

“Boyfriend?” her mom asked, entering the kitchen with Trefor.

Anwen smiled, setting her mobile aside. “Yep. He’s twenty-three, sings in a rock band and rides a motorcycle.” It was a recurring joke since her dad disappeared. She checked for messages more often. The Internet nanny she installed on her mother’s computer, and modified, sent her updates on the investigation. She used a similar process to track it through Torchwood Three. When her mum wouldn’t discuss the case, nor progress, she started her own investigation. Following her mum meant they didn’t duplicate the effort.

“When am I meeting him?”

“About the same time you and Uncle Jack promise not to kill him.”

Gwen smiled. “Not happening.”

“Then you’re not meeting him.” Anwen chuckled. It was a stupid joke. They didn’t really laugh anymore. It felt good. 

 

Gwen Cooper believed she was losing her mind. Her home and Torchwood computer had bookmarks she didn’t remember creating. At some point, she created searches for information about unexplained disappearances connected to the only three incidents she found that possibly had similarities to Rhys. She wouldn’t have remembered if she hadn’t gotten a notification about a strange news report. A woman in her forties disappeared on a lift in Switzerland in front of multiple witnesses. The woman’s nephew died in the Cyberman attack on the Torchwood Institute. It sounded like a real lead. The 1964 case involving Father Reilly involved a connection to the same Torchwood office. Which made her wonder if the other two cases involved a less obvious connection. Ianto started with the Torchwood Institute.

The question was how to do a familial search. Torchwood paranoia meant extensive background checks were done on everyone. Depending on circumstances, that could include extensive family details, friends, and known associates. Torchwood even kept former agents’ bodies. There was no reason files would be deleted. Unless it was an Atmore situation.

Gwen tapped her ear com. “Ianto.”

“Yeah.”

“I need to search family members of Torchwood Institute employees. How would I do that?”

Ianto hesitated. “Why?”

Gwen explained the Torchwood connection to Switzerland and 1964 cases. “I have two more cases to check.”

“Ask Jack.”

Gwen tapped her ear com off. She wanted to avoid Jack. The temptation was too much. Rhys had been there for her through everything. He forgave her for the lies he knew about and her job that took over their lives. After what happened with her and Jack being drugged, Rhys was a saint. He dealt with months of her struggling with guilt and shame in addition to the pregnancy. As they’d been arguing, there was little doubt who the baby’s father was. Jack’s interest in her health and Trefor made Rhys jealousy flare. Even while she was seeing the rape counselor and unable to talk to Jack.

Many of the same experiences told her Jack loved her. Ianto’s return gave them another person to consider. But something changed during the CN situation. Whatever Nessa did changed him. It reminded her of his return after the Abbadon situation. She suspected he’d been traumatized. Whatever happened made him reconsider his decisions and relationships. Ianto said more than once he was Jack’s second choice. She thought it more likely Jack wanted to be with both of them. The nonsense about the Garden of Eden date night made her wonder if he still did.

 

Ianto Jones stood and walked over to Anwen at John’s desk. She had a Lego set and was building something with Trefor. He sat cross-legged on the desk next to the project. Ianto set a reassuring hand on his back. Any conflict could upset him. 

“Did you reprogram your mother’s computer?”

Anwen looked up, smiling. A look that basically translated to “who me, I’m just a kid.” 

“What did you do?”

“Nothing.”

“Gwen thinks she created searches with notifications and forgot them.” 

“Mum won’t talk to me about dad. I track her investigation remotely. Mostly. She’s to tired to think straight and doesn’t follow up on everything she finds.”

“Do you know how to run a search through Torchwood background files?”

“The missing lady in Switzerland is related to someone at Torchwood London.” Anwen picked up her mobile. “Verbal commands might work the best. The Institute set-up is not the best thought-out system.” Her expression changed as she realized something. “Torchwood Global, command access Anwen Williams, run full Torchwood search for names…” She read several from her phone. Gwen was only looking for two.

“Search will take hours. Add additional parameters.”

“Run search.”

“Gwen said she had two names.”

Anwen shook her head. “Mum has several names. She used Luc criteria to rule out possibilities. She needs to discuss it with Uncle Jack.”

Office management and daycare, Ianto thought. With the general in Ireland and John presumably back in future London, it was somewhat less chaotic. Ianto went back to his desk for his mobile and called Jack. He wondered how Trefor would add to the insanity. Anwen had her mother’s aptitude for investigating and her father’s logistic skills. 


	22. Chapter 22

** Torchwood Three; Cardiff, Wales **

Jack Harkness sat back, pinching the bridge of his nose. Rex was being more difficult than usual if that was possible. He wanted Torchwood files in exchange for the information on the scientists. The Arctic Wind was a military ship. He also wanted access to Petrescu and wouldn’t share any files until then. He agreed to let Rex have a supervised conversation in exchange for a copy of all of the files, including Arctic Wind. Rex agreed, but he suspected the paperwork would be heavily or entirely redacted. 

The door opened and Gwen entered. She looked more uneasy than she did on Saturday. He had an idea, but it could easily backfire. He needed to discuss it with Ianto. Ianto had oddly handled his flirting with Gwen before Rhys’ disappearance. He couldn’t expect that to last, especially if his intentions went the wrong direction. 

“Ianto called.”

“Did you run the search?” 

Jack stood and held up his hands as he moved over to grab a chair. “Sit.”

“What happened?” Gwen asked.

Jack returned to his own chair. “Anwen ran it through Global. It's going to take hours.” He hesitated. “The new bookmarks and extra searches is Anwen participating in your investigation.”

“What?”

“I can only guess she installed and modified some type of nanny program on your computers. The CN bond, and time at Torchwood Four left her with some of John’s computer skills.” 

“I’m going to kill him.”

“Anwen’s behaving like her mother.”

Gwen rubbed her temples. “She’s been checking her mobile more often. I thought it was social media. I jokingly ask her if she has a boyfriend. She tells me he’s twenty-three and rides a motorcycle.”

Jack laughed. “She goes through Ianto’s search history. She recommended he join a social media group for coping with babysitting for asshole children.”

Tears welled in Gwen’s eyes. “She’s coping better than I am.”

“No.” Jack wanted to comfort her. Knowing that Anwen believed her father was dead wouldn’t help. “She’s dealing with different pain.”

“How do I keep going? The memories of what Bilis Manger did to Rhys are vivid. I can’t get it out of my head.”

“You need to talk to Bree. She can help you.” Jack stood and held out his hand. “Just a hug.”

“Jack…” She looked away from him. 

“A hug. Just a hug.”

Gwen hesitated, the warring emotions playing across her face. Then she moved over to him. Jack gently tugged her closer and she wrapped her arms around him and cried. He’d been right about her needing simple, physical contact. The complication was offering her comfort outside of work. She needed a break, not more to feel guilty about.

 

Bree Nelson met Jack outside the infirmary as requested. Ianto wouldn’t explain, which wasn’t unusual. It did make her wonder if they had another patient. She hoped Ken wasn’t back. He made impressive progress once he was out of the hospital. She called a couple times a month to follow up. 

“Morning.” Jack smiled. “How’s Jodi?”

“Good. She’s all moved in.” Her mother’s behavior became so outrageous, Jodi changed her mobile number. Mrs. Hsiung was making accusations of brainwashing. Jodi came out to her parents after she left for college long before they met. As a psychiatrist, she couldn’t help but wonder if Ms. Hsiung had psychological problems.

She hadn’t known Jack long enough to read his moods, but she suspected he wanted to say something he didn’t. 

“Doctor Dmitri Petrescu is in the infirmary. We’ve confirmed his identity as best we can. He disappeared in February 1948 near New Zealand. He was found in the same general area on Saturday.”

Bree wondered what the catch was. “How old is he?”

“Thirty-three.”

“Anything I should know?”

“I was with him on the ship. Neither of us know what happened.”

“You were on a ship in 1948? I don’t want to know.” She shook her head. “What are you wanting from Dr. Petrescu?”

“We need a doctor. If he’s able.”

“Does he know about the time change?”

“Yeah.”

Bree turned toward the door and hesitated. “How well did you know him?”

Jack laughed. “We were friends.”

“I’m picturing John Hart with a medical degree. That’s not encouraging.”

“No.” Jack laughed more. 

“If he hits on me, I will feed him to your guard dog.” As she entered the infirmary, Bree realized at some point the pterodactyl became normal. Her boss had a dinosaur and it was no longer strange.

Her new patient, on the other hand, was another story. She grabbed the back of a chair as the door closed. “I am Dr. Bree Nelson.”

“The psychiatrist.” He set the tablet he was reading on a dictionary on the small table. 

“Guilty.”

“Freudian theory is long dead?”

Bree smiled. “Yes.”

“Spend enough time with Jack in close quarters and you will reconsider that.” Petrescu smiled.

“I can imagine.”

“How does this work?” Petrescu asked. “Am I having a meltdown over the time change? Or was I psychotic to begin with?”

“You’ve had bad experiences with psychiatrists?”

“More experience with judgmental people in general,” Petrescu said matter-of-factly. “I have been lying about who I am and where I come from since I was nine years old. I could convince you I dated Jack if I had reason to.”

“Why?”

“Necessity.”

“Why?”

Petrescu grinned. “Perversity.”

“It’s been seventy years. A lot has changed.” Bree smiled. 

“Not enough.”

“Tell me a story.”

Petrescu switched to a Russian accent and a haughty tone. “In 1917, the Tsars lost power. My mother, the younger sister of Emperor Nicholas II was widowed. A faithful servant smuggled us through the night, and out of the motherland into Moldova. The new democratic republic allowed us to blend with peasants oblivious to our divine heritage. When the Bolshevik’s came to power with the impostor Vladimir Lenin, the options were few. My mother married her brother’s servant.” He shifted, his body language changing. “In 1919, the communist usurper contested the Moldovan government, forcing us to relocate to Romania.” Dmitri smiled. His accent changed to Romanian. “Where we joined the circus and convinced the fools we were gypsy royalty.”

Bree laughed. “You’re a conman?”

When he spoke again, he had a German accent. “You say that like it is bad, Frau Nelson.”

Bree shook her head. 

“I convinced Oxford,” he said, returning to a British accent, “That I was the illegitimate son of a lord notorious for producing bastard children. I am smart, have an aptitude for medicine and languages, and paid the appropriate bribes.”

He delivered that statement as honest-sounding as his ridiculous tale about being Russian nobility. Which she suspected was his intent. Part of it was probably true. Whether that made him an incredibly talented sociopath or a child from a really bad childhood, she had no idea. She could handle trauma victims. Con artists were a different psychiatric specialty. Which reminded her of how he started the conversation. He either had knowledge of psychology from 1948 or had researched it while restricted to the infirmary.

“You set me up.”

“Yes.” He nodded.

“You’re worse than John.”

“Who?”

“One of Jack’s psychotic exs.” 


	23. Chapter 23

** Torchwood Nova Scotia; Truro, Nova Scotia, Canada **

** Tuesday, August 3, 2020 **

Luc Sarkisian returned to his lab. Eryn had two computer monitors pushed together and was looking at satellite images. When he left she was looking at a Google map of Tasmania and pictures of waterfalls. He couldn’t help but wonder as he crossed the room.

“Find something?” After Jack returned from New Zealand, he asked them to check the area. 

“I think so.” She looked up at him. “I saw something strange on a satellite picture. I asked Kailen for an earlier picture. It’s not there.” She looked back at the screens and motioned with outstretched hands. “I don’t know what it is and Kailen says he can’t make the picture clearer.”

Luc zoomed in on the area. It looked like gray metal. To show on a satellite image, it had to be big. He could think of no reason a commercial airliner would have flown over Tasmania. If it was a military plane, Australia should have replaced the picture after recovery. 

“Do you have a location?”

“Southwest National Park. I’ve been looking at maps trying to figure out the area. Until the 1960s, this area was called the Atmore Nature Preserve. The best I can tell, the entire area is restricted. Conspiracy sites say an alien space craft crash landed and contaminated the entire area.” It amused her. “That’s actually a possibility.” 

“Did you check for missing planes?”

“Yeah. There is nothing recent. A few small planes over the years. Another conspiracy site said a small craft crashed around the time the preserve was closed. If we can believe the site which also talks about the magical properties of crystal skulls and psychic surgery.”

Luc groaned. “How far inland?”

“I don’t know. Whatever it is, it’s sitting in a lake. If it ever connected to the ocean, it doesn’t now.”

Luc set a hand on her shoulder. “I left supper with Kailen and Aman. If we want to eat…”

Eryn laughed, standing. “Kailen will save mine for me.” She reached out and took his hand. “Did my brother or Aman mention double dating.”

“No.” Luc had no idea what to say to that. From what he overheard, they went to see a rave the previous weekend. Eryn talked about seeing a ballet.

She laughed more. “Your expression is priceless.”

“I can’t picture you at a rave or them at the theater.”

“I think it involves a restaurant. Kailen’s been acting weird.”

Luc noticed the shift after Aman turned eighteen. Both Kailen and Aman’s behavior were so foreign to him most of the time, it was a wonder he noticed that much. “No idea.”

She squeezed his hand. “Me either.”

Dinner was strained. Aman and Kailen obviously had an argument while he was talking to Eryn. After a whispered exchange, Kailen stalked off. 

“What happened?” Eryn asked.

“A disagreement.” Aman focused on eating.

Luc waited until Eryn started cleaning the table to discuss the oddity in Tasmania. He explained to Aman what she found. “We can use a portal device on a new drone Torchwood Four manufactured for us. It can take scan readings and aerial photographs.”

“Why does it matter?” Aman sounded distracted.

“It’s unexplained.” Luc shrugged. 

“How do we get the information?”

“Either a satellite connection or we bring the drone back.”

“Do we have some type of quarantine for the drone?”

Luc hadn’t thought about it. “Yeah.”

“Program the drone for a grid search. It searches an area, returns, and downloads.” Aman held his fork on his plate, thinking. “Can it fly below radar?” 

“It doesn’t have to. I modified it with one of the devices Idrissa sent from Nigeria. Alien stealth tech.”

Aman nodded. “Are you positive it’s an airplane?”

“No. The shape is odd.”

“I will call Jack.”

“It’s after midnight in Wales.”

Aman smiled. He rarely did. “I know.”

 

** Torchwood Three; Cardiff, Wales **

Jack Harkness woke to his mobile ringing. It took a moment to recognize the alchemy workshop. With Dr. Petrescu in the infirmary, staying at the hub made more sense. Bree was keeping an eye on their guest. Ianto grabbed the phone and handed it to him. 

He kissed Ianto’s shoulder. “Harkness.”

“Good morning.” Aman sounded vaguely amused. “Luc is preparing to launch a surveillance drone using a portal device. Eryn found an oddity on a satellite map of Tasmania. Best guess is a plane crash.”

“All right.” Jack wondered why that required a call.

“The area makes a plane unlikely. It’s to far inland for a ship. There is some questionable information online about a downed spacecraft in that area. The location is restricted to park visitors, so there is the possibility of a problem.”

Giving Aman an excuse to wake him in the middle of the night. “Call me with an update.”

“What happened?” Ianto propped himself up on his elbow.

Jack explained. “Go back to sleep.”

“Wake me, if you need me.”

“I always need you.” Jack kissed his forehead.

“Clothes are in the closet.”

Which made getting dressed quicker. Ianto had everything that wasn’t on hangers organized in plastic drawers with labels. A hamper had a Post-It note on top. “Do not leave Weevil spray in your pockets.” Jack smiled. 

His mobile rang again as he left the lab and headed for his office.

 

** Torchwood Nova Scotia; Truro, Nova Scotia, Canada **

Luc Sarkisian reviewed the drone for launch. When he designed it, he hadn’t considered needing to scan a remote area. Depending on location, and circumstances, they could hack one of the varied inactive satellites in orbit or civilian Canadian satellites. Jack’s contacts meant possible access to British options. The possible problems using others’ satellites made him consider launching their own. Four had the ability to manufacture robots and other equipment. Replacing maintenance bots had been the first project. The process recycled materials from irreparable bots and general trash. If the drone worked as expected, his next project could be a robotic satellite. Between him and Kailen, they could design one. 

The quarantine room was similar to the dangerous alien containment unit Torchwood had. A secured room with no furnishings and an adjacent control room. 

Eryn walked behind him and ran a hand across his back. The affectionate gesture distracted him, and he had to start over. She’d been touching him more and more lately. He had no idea if that was an invitation or she didn’t realize the affect it had on him. 

“Ready to witness history?”

Eryn laughed. “Did you name it after Zephram Cochrane?”

“Is that a Star Trek reference?” Luc asked.

“Maybe.”

“You’ve been spending to much time with me.”

She wrapped an arm around his waist. 

“Would you mind making some coffee?”

Aman laughed after Eryn left. “Kailen did that for weeks. Except I didn’t realize he was interested in me.”

“Great.”

“Talk to her.”

Luc finished the review. “That worked with Kailen?”

“No. Spending most of a Saturday in bed did.”

Luc felt himself blush. It took him longer to speak than he cared for. “Call Jack. The drone is ready to go.”

Despite the distractions, it worked as planned. The drone left quarantine with the portal device. Its GPS activated when it arrived in Tasmania. Fifteen minutes later, it returned. After a quick scan, Luc downloaded the details and aerial photographs.

With a fifteen hour time difference, it was late morning in Tasmania and the pictures were impressive. When he saw what Eryn found on the satellite image, he stared. He quickly found the data related to the area. 

“Aman, I need the phone.”

“What is it?” Aman walked over and looked at the screen. “Is that real?”

Luc grabbed the mobile. “Jack, I need a few minutes to upload and transmit, but we found the Arctic Wind.”

“Where?”

“It’s in a shallow lake in the Southwest National Park in Tasmania. Inland. No ocean access.”

“You’re sure?”

“As much as possible. The drone took pictures of the side of the ship. It’s tilted and half out of the lake. No doubt it's a Wind-class icebreaker.”

“Ideas?”

None he wanted to admit to. The only thing that came to mind was the dead man encased in fulgurite in an enclosed warehouse. String Theory, parallel universes, and the Rift. An insane guess based almost entirely on lack of evidence. The complication was Tasmania was nowhere near the Rift. “I don’t know.”

“The general said Rift abilities are also found in southern New Zealand and Tasmania.”

“The only idea.” Luc hesitated. “The fulgurite situation was potentially a thinning barrier between universes.” He felt really stupid saying it. “If that’s true, there could be a similar problem in Tasmania. Except the Rift is on the other side of the barrier.”

“How would it happen?”

Luc shook his head. “String Theory allows for the idea of Einstein-Rosen bridges or wormholes. Add a Rift and…”

“What’s causing the barrier to thin?”

Shit. Luc had an idea. An ugly idea. “Moss-Probert attempted to redirect the Rift, powered by a quantum entanglement device they didn’t understand. Future Aman disrupted the device to protect the atmosphere. Without knowing the science behind most of this, I can only guess.”

Jack added, “That could have triggered the device near Torchwood Three which affected time.”

“If any of that is possible or true, the answer is at Torchwood Four.”


	24. Chapter 24

** Torchwood Four; Dublin, Ireland **

General Trefor Williams rested in Nessa’s bed. Liam rolled over and set head on his shoulder after Nessa headed for the bathroom. He could hear the shower running. Having a girlfriend with the same interests was still an odd experience. They had different taste in men. Liam was her choice. 

“She’s going to kill us.”

The general laughed. “You don’t want another round?”

Liam groaned. 

He ran his fingers through Liam’s hair. “Nessa said you’re an artist.”

“Painter. Landscapes for tourists.” Liam shifted against him. “What do you do?”

“Security. It’s the family business.”

“My parents and my brother own a bed-and-breakfast. They can’t figure out why I don’t want to work with them.”

The general’s mobile rang. “Jack? What time is it?”

“No,” his mum said. “Where are you?”

“At Nessa’s? Hold on.”

“Is he cute?” Liam asked.

“No, my father is not cute.” The general tapped Liam’s shoulder. “I need to sit up.”

“Uh, yeah.” Liam moved.

The general swung his legs over the edge of the bed. “What happened?”

“Luc found the Arctic Wind in Tasmania. We need you to get to the office.”

“Is it urgent?” The ship disappeared seventy years ago.

“Depends. Would you consider a Rift from a parallel universe making a ship that disappeared seventy years ago reappear a problem?” Her ‘you’re an idiot voice’ was a lot like his sister’s.

The general stood. “What do you need me to do, mum?”

“Luc thinks the older Aman’s death, the device by the Red Dragon Centre and the ship are connected.”

That sounded like the Sarkisian he knew, not the kid. “How?”

“Anwen says hi.” She paused. “And blame the elves.”

“Elves?”

“Ianto let her watch  Thor: Dark World yesterday.”

He figured it had more to do with Anwen liking elves. His Anwen had a poster of Prince Nuada from Hellboy on her bedroom wall until they moved to Torchwood London. “Half-an-hour to an hour.”

“Tell Nessa hi for me.” The call ended.

The general headed for the bathroom. He didn’t know if she’d want to ride with him or stay with Liam. “Mum called.” 

Nessa peeked around the shower curtain. “You’re leaving?”

“I have to. Luc found something.”

 

Torchwood Three; Cardiff, Wales

Jack Harkness waited in the conference room. Luc reprogrammed his drone for additional scans and photographs. If Luc’s drone design worked as well as expected, they would need more. Four should be able to produce them with little effort. Tracking, coordinating and transmitting information would be problematic. It also offered various other opportunities once the immediate concerns were resolved.

Gwen entered looking tired, although she generally looked tired after Rhys’ disappearance. “The general is an idiot.”

Jack smiled. “Why?”

Gwen sat and explained the phone call. “How did he command anything?”

“He’s a younger version of me.” Jack suspected the general kept as much as he could from Gwen. Like Ianto, the general wasn’t comfortable being himself around his family. The general’s emotional outburst, while they were affected by the CN, said he had a lot of issues with himself. He hoped Nessa helped.

Gwen shook her head. “He has a girlfriend he picks up men with.”

Jack laughed. “Nessa gives Ianto relationship advice.”

“Do I want to know?”

“She recommended this social group. We go to activities and flirt with women.”

“Ianto agreed to that?” Gwen sounded skeptical.

“He suggested it.”

Gwen rubbed her face. “Did the PTSD flare again?”

“No.”

“Be care, Jack. Ianto is not Nessa.”

“It’s a social group. No sex.” It worked.

 

Ianto Jones tucked Trefor in. Old memories of Lisa kept playing through his head. Usually, he remembered the bad times not the good. Even working for the Torchwood Institute, life was simpler. He had a girlfriend he needed to introduce to his family. He thought he had time. Time to daydream and plan. Time to enjoy the relationship before they needed to make any big decisions. Tears welled in his eyes for the first time in a long time.

“Why are you sad?” Trefor asked.

“I’m remembering a friend.”

“Friends should make you happy.”

“Get some sleep.”

Anwen refused to go back to bed which didn’t surprise him. She sat at one of the odd tables in the alchemy lab. What remained of the original equipment was packed in boxes against the far wall. Except for a porcelain doll that sat on a nightstand under a strange lamp.

“What’s wrong?” Anwen asked as he wiped the tears from his eyes.

“Old memories. I talked to my sister Rhiannon finally. She told me she’d think of something to tell her kids. She wants me to rejoin the family.”

Anwen set her hand on his. “What’s wrong with that?”

Ianto shook his head. “Before I dated Jack, I loved a woman named Lisa.”

“She died?”

Ianto hesitated. There was no way he was telling Anwen what happened. “At the Torchwood Institute. When it burned.”

“I’m sorry.”

“It was a long time ago.”

“You wanted kids of your own.” Anwen looked at her brother. “I don’t get kids either.”

Ianto had no idea what to say to that. One more strange part of Torchwood life. “The future is always changing.”

“Uncle Jack…”

An odd, mechanical alarm from across the room interrupted. The porcelain doll’s eyes opened. The lamp switched on, casting the room in an odd purple glow.

“Computer, activate intercom.” Anwen jumped out of her chair and ran for her brother. “Uncle Jack, what’s the doll for?”

“What is that sound?” Gwen asked.

“According to the files, purple light from the lamp means magic,” Ianto said.

“Ianto, are you sensing anything?” Jack asked.

Ianto hesitated. “Something to do with Lisa.”


	25. Chapter 25

** Torchwood Four; indeterminate **

John Hart felt the summoning moments before the device dragged him back to Torchwood. The unfamiliar room confused him. He should have returned to London. Except the technology and the smell, said he was in Torchwood Four. From what he remembered, General Williams was in charge of Four. 

He stepped out of the chamber. “Anwen?” She would be disappointed with him. Not only that he left, but he returned to his old habits.

“She’s gone.” Ianto sounded tired. The type of tired that made a man swallow his gun.

John turned. “What happened?”

“The quantum entanglement device that killed Aman impacted two universes. At least.” Ianto held a sleeping child and an impressive compact digital storage device. “The drive has everything I know.”

“Where’s Jack?”

“He didn’t make it.” He closed his eyes briefly. “Please take Kylia to 2020 with you.” Ianto handed the girl to him. 

John could not imagine what happened. “Where are we?”

“Four is in a void. It’s held here by an ancient being.” Ianto sighed. “Tell Jack that Kylia is from a place where the Cyberman didn’t destroy the Institute.”

That didn’t alleviate any of the confusion. “Who is she?”

“My granddaughter.” Ianto shook his head. “It’s a long story.”

“Come with me.”

“No. Even if I could, I wouldn’t. I can’t cope after this.” Ianto said, “You need to go.” 

 

** Torchwood Three; Cardiff, Wales **

** Tuesday, August 3, 2020 **

John shook his head. Before he could think of what else to ask, Four disappeared and reappeared, except the new location was different. It didn’t have the chamber necessary to summon him. Then it shifted again, and he found himself standing in Torchwood Three’s infirmary. He was starting to wonder if he was hallucinating. 

“Hello,” an unfamiliar voice said from across the room.

John dropped to one knee as the dizziness hit. “Urgent medical.” He set the child on the floor and backed up. “Time shock aggravated by intoxication.” The headache felt he’d been hit in the head. Nausea swelled as his visioned blurred. The seizure knocked him on his arse. 

“Who are you?”

“John Hart. Call Anwen.”

“Are you Rhys?”

“Computer, activate com.” A chime. “Jack, Anwen.” He vomited. “Before you yell at me, I was summoned to a different Four. I didn’t intend to come back drunk. The kid has something to do with the Torchwood Institute not burning.” Everything went black.

 

Anwen Williams ran. Dr. Petrescu was standing between two medical cots when the infirmary door opened. The nearest had a small child on it. She hurried to John’s side. He didn’t look good. She flipped open his wrist-strap.

“Medical emergency,” the computer announced.

“He’s on the wrong cot.” Anwen patted down his jacket pockets until she found his vial of nanogenes. She opened it and the yellow glow flowed into him. When the nanogenes didn’t return quickly, she switched the bedside scanner on. “Computer, medical scan, John Hart.” From what she understood, it was bad. “You are not dying on me.”

The infirmary door opened. She didn’t have to look up to recognize the sound of his boots on the floor. “What is time shock, Uncle Jack?” 

“It’s caused by moving through a time distortion.” Jack walked over to the kid. “Did you scan her?”

“No.”

“They just appeared,” Dmitri said. 

Jack ran a medical scan. “No time shock.” He turned to look at her. “Does she have chronons or Rift energy?”

“Both.” Anwen shrugged.

“What’s wrong with you?”

“He left me.” She burst out crying. “He said he was going back to London. If he went to Torchwood London, he would have gotten my messages and come home.”

“I thought London was destroyed, Jack,” Dmitri said quietly.

“The Institute burned,” Anwen retorted. “Torchwood London didn’t.”

Jack held up his hand in Dmitri’s direction. “We don’t know what happened.”

“He left,” Anwen yelled and the nearest tables started rattling.

“Anwen, you need to calm down.”

A table flew across the back of the room and hit the wall. 

“Dmitri, take her,” he motioned at the child on the cot, “And go.”

 

Ianto Jones stayed in the alchemy lab with Trefor. The purple light was creepy but harmless. Jack and Anwen would deal with John. Trefor needed to sleep. He had paperwork to catch up on.

“Anwen.”

Ianto set the tablet aside and moved across the room. “She’ll be back. Get some sleep.”

“No. I need Anwen.”

“She’s checking on John.”

Trefor climbed out of bed. “Anwen hurting.”

“Computer, activate intercom.” It chimed. “Jack, is there a problem with Anwen.”

He heard what sounded like one of the small, metal tables in the infirmary hitting the floor. 

“Anwen,” Trefor said. “You could hurt Uncle Jack. Bad superhero.”

“Go back to bed, Tref,” Anwen said after a moment. She’d been crying.

“No.” Trefor crossed her arms. Ianto couldn’t help but think how much he looked like Jack. 

“John’s hurt bad. I lost my temper.”

“Don’t hurt Uncle Jack.”

Jack reassured, “I’m okay, Trefor.” 

“I calmed down.”

“Anwen,” Ianto said, “We’ll meet you in the infirmary.”

 

Gwen Cooper found Dr. Petrescu holding a small child outside the infirmary. 

He looked worried. “You don’t want to go in there.”

“Anwen’s throwing things.” She’d heard the exchange between her children over the intercom.

“Yeah.”

“Stay here. Give Ianto the kid.”

Gwen stepped through the door. Tables had been flying around. They’d assumed her previous outbursts were from being CN bonded to John. That was probably wishful thinking. Young girls were emotional. The stress of everything from Rhys missing to John returning injured was probably too much. 

“Let’s walk.” Gwen held her hand out to her daughter.

“I need to stay here.”

“Anwen, Ianto will stay here with John and Trefor. We need to talk.”

Anwen nodded and followed her out of the infirmary. She kept her head down. 

“What happened?”

“I lost it,” Anwen said quietly.

“You could have hurt someone.”

“I know.” Anwen wiped at the tears as they rolled off her cheeks.

“What made you angry?”

“The same thing as before. The idea that John left me…” She shook her head. “It’s stupid.”

“Are you still connected to him?”

“I don’t know.”

 

Jack Harkness waited in the infirmary. Dmitri returned after Anwen left looking confused. He carefully settled the unknown child back on the medical cot she’d been on several minutes before. 

“I don’t know where to start.” Dmitri tucked a blanket around the girl. She looked around five or six.

“Who is he?” 

“John Hart. He’s an agent from another office.”

“The psychotic ex Dr. Nelson mentioned?”

“Yeah.”

“What’s the difference between the Torchwood Institute and Torchwood London?”

“The Institute was destroyed by an alien invasion. Torchwood London doesn’t exist yet.”

Dmitri nodded. “At some point your ex is dating your niece?”

“Yeah. He met Anwen in 2042. He would have to explain it.”

“He said the kid has something to do with the Institute not burning.”

Jack then remembered what Ianto said before John arrived. “Computer run a DNA comparison of female child and Ianto Jones.”

“Ianto Jones is the child’s paternal grandfather.”

“That’s going to be a fun conversation.”

“Yeah.” Jack hesitated. “I need you to keep that to yourself. Considering what happened to his girlfriend at the London Institute, it’s going to be ugly.” Jack exhaled sharply. 

Dmitri then looked like he forgot something. “Hart was carrying a device with him.” He walked over and retrieved a data storage device from another table. 


	26. Chapter 26

** Torchwood Four; Dublin, Ireland **

General Trefor Williams reviewed the scan details on John Hart’s brief visit to Torchwood Four. The computer hadn’t identified an intruder. Although John was registered with Torchwood, he wasn’t authorized for Four. Details on how he arrived and left suggested Four transported him. A more in-depth review showed that John transported in from Torchwood Four. The general wondered if it was some type of translation glitch. From what he knew of the space station, which was from the same alien race, there were occasional problems because of information that didn’t make sense. Dr. Sarkisian didn’t agree it was a translation problem, but wouldn’t share what he thought it was. Having interacted with teenage Sarkisian, he wondered if the adult kept the information to himself because he didn’t believe it. The idea would have had to have been out there after everything they’d seen.

The general tapped his ear com. “Jack.” 

“Find something?” Jack asked.

“I don’t know what I found.” The general explained. “Is Hart awake yet?”

“No. The girl is awake. She sounds like retcon is wearing off.”

“Why would someone retcon a six-year-old?” His father’s wonder drug was used to affect the memories of witnesses. He couldn’t think of any benefit of using it on a little kid.

“I’m more concerned with a six-year-old resistant to it. She has chronons and Rift energy.”

“Rift ability?”

“That’s the current theory.”

“Did Anwen sense anything before John arrived?”

“No. An alchemy lamp switched on.”

Something about his father’s tone of voice. “Jack, what’s wrong with Anwen?”

“She threw another tantrum. The baby talked her down.”

The general sighed. “Both times there was a problem with John in the infirmary. Did he set her off this time?”

“No. He’s unconscious.” Jack explained how Anwen tried to heal John with nanogenes.

“CN exposure?”

“No. Ianto thinks Anwen has John on a pedestal. Her knight in shining armor. No matter how bad it gets, he’ll save her. It’s how she copes.”

“Anwen is the strongest person I’ve ever met.” The general argued.

“You were three when your sister was eleven. You don’t remember.”

“What does Bree think?”

“Gwen mentioned Bree.” Jack hesitated. “Anwen is still able to swear in languages she got from John while they were bonded.”

The general rubbed his face. “What’s an alchemy lamp?”

“In theory, it’s a combination of science and magic. According to Torchwood files, it switches on when it senses different types of energy. It was purple for magic.”

“Has it worked before?”

“I don’t know. If we hadn’t been using the former alchemy lab as a bedroom, we wouldn’t have seen it switch on.”

“What about the data device?”

“We’re working on it. The technology is unfamiliar and DNA encoded.”

“According to my scanners, John came from Four. It could be from one of us. It’s out there, but possible with the colliding universes.”

 

Jack Harkness realized he was tired. He should have connected the DNA encoding to the kid. There weren’t a lot of people who would trust John Hart with a child. Anwen would have. Someone who knew about Anwen’s connection to John or Torchwood might have. Or the person was desperate.

John said he’d been summoned to Four, and he had not intended to come back drunk. The person that gave him information about the kid had to know who she was and the difference between her universe and this one. It wasn’t a secret that Ianto survived the Cyberman attack on London. Or that he dated Lisa before the attack. It would have been different in another universe. But bringing the child to them suggested a connection. 

Jack started with Anwen’s DNA as she was the most likely. Luc also knew about Lisa, because of a PTSD episode he witnessed Ianto have. When that didn’t work, he opted for Ianto. That made more sense than him or Gwen. And it worked. The device remotely accessed the computer and started to upload. He scanned the device and upload and saw nothing to worry about which didn’t make it less worrisome.

The upload activated a voice file. “Jack,” Ianto’s tired, older-sounding voice said, “The quantum entanglement device that killed Aman caused a chain reaction at the quantum level. He was from a different universe. His interaction with the device affected both universes. The damage started small and gets increasingly worse. I sent you everything I know, in hopes you can stop it.” Jack could picture Ianto trying to hide the tears. “Kylia is the only survivor from her universe. I’m it for ours. I know it’s a lot to ask. If you can’t handle a kid, my younger self is strong enough now to move out. Our relationship will explode before to much longer. We work it out in time. I had to realize I couldn’t expect you to be the person I wanted you to be. I love you, Jack. I always will.” 

 

** Torchwood Nova Scotia; Truro, Nova Scotia, Canada **

Luc Sarkisian reviewed the latest drone results. The information was insane, he had no other word for it. The former Atmore Reserve may very well have been restricted due to perceived alien interference. There were plant and animal life in the area that couldn’t have evolved on Earth and arguably couldn’t survive the environment. The map Kailen compiled suggested a boundary. 

“Eryn.” Her ideas were less rigid than his and helped him deal with the increasingly impossible situations.

She walked over and rubbed his shoulders. “What kind of tree is that?”

“Where are Aman and Kailen?” 

“In their room fighting. Again.”

Luc motioned toward the chair next to him. “Sit.”

“What’s wrong?”

He had no idea what to say. “I can’t think when you touch me.”

Eryn laughed. “You don’t want me to?”

The red crept up his cheeks. “I need to be able to focus, Eryn.”

“I will behave.” Eryn chuckled. “For now.”

Boundary , he told himself.  You need to discuss the boundary . “When we talked about the fulgurite and the alien tech, you help me work through the insane.” He motioned at the screen. “That isn’t possible.”

“You’re looking at it, Luc. It’s possible.”

“Exactly.” He doubted she’d appreciate the comparison, but she reminded him of his mother. Ruthie Sarkisian challenged the idea of absolutes and relying on other’s facts. The truth would not be found assuming they already knew the answer. 

“You said the thinning barrier between universes was String Theory. What part of String Theory applies to this?”

“I don’t know.” The entire concept was theoretical and based on mathematics. With current technology, they were unable to test it. 

“Like the fulgurite, we have the effect. What would be necessary to cause that?”

“Different Laws of Physics.” Although he knew it was possible, the idea gave him a headache.

Eryn nodded. “John said that physics varies for different reasons. The dragons came through the Rift from somewhere else. Their eggs contaminated plants. Anyone who ate the plants was intoxicated by alien energy…” Eryn hesitated. “Right?”

“Basically.”

“Could an alien or technology contaminating the area cause that?”

“It would have to be different. The dragon eggs excreted a chemical that contaminated plants through the soil. The boundary is a perfect circle. Eggs wouldn’t do that. And they couldn’t incubate in winter time or that far south.” Except the climate had to be different for the plants and animals living there.

“Nature doesn’t do perfect. Computers and sometimes people do perfect.”

“A garden, research…”

“An animal refuge?”

Luc shook his head. “Why would someone create a refuge on Tasmania?”

“One of the biggest problems with protecting animals in Africa is the poachers know where to find them. It’s really difficult to protect a large amount of land. The poachers may even know the area as well or better than the protectors.” She motioned at the screen. “If someone wants to protect animals, without cages, they need to put them where the poachers can’t find them.”

“It would still need some type of defense.”

“Maybe that’s the problem. Look at how the Europeans viewed the rest of the world hundreds of years ago. They didn’t care about other people or whether or not they damaged their own planet. People still don’t care about others needs. Look what was done to the dragons at that horrible place. They enslaved sentient creatures without even realizing it.”

Luc didn’t want to think about that. His mother had been involved in researching the dragons and determining they were dumb animals. “Destroying the planet is counterproductive.”

“Maybe something went wrong.”


	27. Chapter 27

** Torchwood Three; Cardiff, Wales **

Ianto Jones wondered why the little girl looked familiar. He couldn’t think of anyone he knew with a dark complexion and green eyes. Trefor found her just as interesting. He insisted on sitting on her medical cot asking questions. 

“What’s your name?” 

She tilted her head. “You know my name.”

Unsure of what that meant, Ianto moved around John to check process. The nanogenes were still healing him. The latest medical scan still listed his injuries as life-threatening. Like Trefor he had a lot of questions. His questions had to wait until John woke. Even then, answers weren’t guaranteed. 

“Is he all right?” the girl asked.

“He will be.” Ianto dreaded telling Anwen the truth, if she didn’t already know. She would figure out if he lied and probably freak out again. The little ones didn’t need to know.

“Why didn’t the lady protect him like she protected us?”

“I don’t know.” 

“I’m Trefor.” 

“Kylia. Grandpa should have introduced us.”

“Where’s your grandpa?” Trefor asked.

“Right there.” Kylia sounded confused.

Ianto looked at her; she was pointing at him. Bree was in for a long day, Ianto thought. Evaluating Anwen would be problematic. Kylia really sounded like something was wrong. It could be a lesser effect of whatever made John sick. Or the side effects of using retcon on a six-year-old. 

“No.” Trefor shook his head. 

“Yes, he is. My dad’s dad.”

“Ianto doesn’t have kids.” Trefor looked confused.

Ianto knew how he felt. The girl really looked familiar.

“Is grandma here? You said it would be different here. I took the pill that made me sleepy so I could travel without getting sick.” She looked at John. “He didn’t take his pill?”

“Who’s your grandma?” Trefor asked.

She narrowed her eyes at Ianto. “Lisa Jones. Why hasn’t he met grandma?”

“Oh god.” Ianto grabbed the cot near John as the room. That’s why the girl looked familiar. Lisa’s niece was around six years old when Lisa died. 

“Ianto?” Trefor hopped off the medical cot. “What’s wrong?”

The memories hit like a ton of bricks. He could hear screaming and smell smoke. Flames surrounded him. The Institute was burning. He needed to get to Lisa. The screaming changed. The pterodactyl was killing her. Jack wouldn’t let him save her. “Have mercy.”

 

Jack Harkness sat in the conference room using the Internet for a conference call. Dmitri sat next to him. While he wasn’t ready to trust the doctor yet, he couldn’t leave him in the infirmary. Anwen and John were enough for Ianto to deal with. 

“Four’s computer is complicated,” the general explained. “The technology is similar to the space station, but it’s not as simple to use or interpret.”

“We have a space station?” Dmitri asked.

“We will.” The general replied. 

“General Williams,” Eryn interrupted, “We think the unusual area in Tasmania is caused by a device similar to the one found near Three that affected Four. Is there any way for Four to identify those types of devices?”

“Possibly. The problem is figuring out how.”

“According to old maps of Tasmania, the area was once called the Atmore Nature Preserve. We’ve been unable to find any information. Kailen is working on something else.” From Eryn’s tone, Jack suspected there was a problem. He wondered if her brother was drunk again.

Then the name connected. “The Torchwood agent associated with the Arctic Wind situation in 1948 was Tiarni Atmore. Woodside provided inaccurate information.” Jack did a quick search on a tablet connected to the hub. “There was a British Atmore family associated with scientific research prior to 1940s with some connection to Australia. James Atmore was an anthropologist and is listed with a London historical society.”

“Torchwood has done some strange things,” Eryn said tentatively. “Is there any possibility the Tasmania nature preserve is a project like CN?”

“Or Torchwood discovered it,” Luc said. “Torchwood Three is in Cardiff because of the Rift. The Nigeria office was established because of artifacts.”

“How do you know about Nigeria?” Jack asked.

“Aman’s research.” Eryn’s tone again made him wonder.

“Four is an alien station Torchwood found. The Observatory is for experiments outside of a populated area,” Luc continued.

The intercom activated. “Medical emergency,” an unfamiliar child said.

“Ianto’s really scared, Uncle Jack,” Trefor added.

 

Gwen Cooper was returning to the infirmary with Anwen when the intercom switched on. Anwen started running as the girl spoke; she could do nothing but follow. They reached the infirmary as Jack was entering. He’d obviously run also.

“What happened?” Jack crouched next to Ianto.

“I mentioned grandma and he lost his balance.”

Anwen took Trefor by the hand and half dragged him away. She hugged her brother.

Jack half-lifted Ianto to his feet. “I need to get him out of here.”

Gwen watched as Jack half dragged Ianto from the room. Then she turned her attention to the girl. Something about her was familiar. She’d seen her before. “What’s your grandma’s name?”

“Lisa Jones.”

“Ianto’s Lisa?” Anwen asked. “He said she…” Anwen trailed off. “Ianto said he dated her before Uncle Jack. He was thinking about her after the lamp switched on and before John arrived.”

Gwen ordered the computer to run a DNA comparison. “Ianto Jones is the child’s paternal grandfather.”

“Why doesn’t grandpa know me?” Tears streamed down the girl’s face.

Then Gwen remembered where she’d seen the girl before. She’d dreamed about Rhys. The child appeared at the end and said grandpa was worried. Which meant the dream was real. Rhys was alive. The question then was what the little girl had to do with her missing husband.


	28. Chapter 28

** Torchwood Three; Cardiff, Wales **

Bree Nelson arrived later than intended. The original call from Jack was brief and hadn’t explained why she was needed. It unlikely involved writing press briefing or coddling interfering politicians that early in the morning. Gwen’s text message arrived, demanding to know where she was, as she stepped out of her car. Ianto was having problems, John was in the infirmary again, and Anwen had another tantrum. She regretted taking her time. 

There was no one waiting for her when she entered the large door. She headed for the infirmary wondering how bad the situation was. John was a complication all by himself. Anwen’s tantrum, which she suspected was a lot worse than being stubborn and refusing to do something, was probably connected to John’s reappearance. From working with Ianto, despite his PTSD, she knew not much fazed him. 

Whatever she considered before stepping into the infirmary, it wasn’t what she found. The lights were dim. Two medical cots nearest the door on the right side were occupied. Ianto rested on the nearest one. John slept. Three kids, not two, were seated on the floor between Ianto and John.

“Took you long enough,” Anwen sounded wary. 

“Good morning.” Bree tried for cheerful. “Who's our newest addition?”

“Kylia,” Anwen said, “This is Dr. Nelson.”

The beautiful little girl looked up at her with a worried expression. “I don’t like doctors.”

“I don’t give shots.” Bree set her purse the cot nearest the door. “Anything I need to know about.”

Trefor looked at her. “Ianto fell.” 

“Bad memories,” Anwen said.

One of the many questions Bree had about working in the hub. Ianto had PTSD to the point where he carried a gun everywhere. Even after the worst of the symptoms subsided, he was paranoid and easily startled. Working in law enforcement was a bad idea. The stress of daycare added to it. Questions she learned early on to keep to herself.

“I’m good.” Ianto didn’t sound good. 

Bree grabbed a chair and set it down next to Ianto. He wasn’t wearing his shoulder holster. That was something at least. 

“Leave him alone.”

“Anwen,” Ianto said, “Bree’s trying to help.”

Something rattled across the room.

“Anwen…” Ianto trailed off.

“Sorry.” The sound stopped.

“Long night?” With Dr. Petrescu in the infirmary, he and Jack opted to stay at the hub. Ianto had turned the room with the odd antique door into a bedroom. 

“Yeah.”

“I listen.” Bree smiled. “Occupational hazard.”

“Do you know what I saw in London?” He hesitated. “At the other Torchwood office.”

“Some.” An alien invasion destroyed the Institute. He’d lost his co-workers who were also his friends.

“It came back tonight. I haven’t had an episode in months.”

“Nightmares?”

“Not as often.” Ianto exhaled. “Not as bad.”

“Do you know what caused it?”

“Yeah.”

“I upset grandpa,” Kylia said softly.

“Did Kylia come back with John?”

“Yeah.” Ianto rubbed his hands over his face.

Bree knew she was missing something. The child somehow triggered a PTSD episode, if she was understanding the situation. What she couldn’t figure out was how. The Torchwood Institute had been destroyed thirteen or fourteen years ago. Maybe Ianto had been separated from his child as a result. No one said anything about him having children. Which didn’t explain why his granddaughter, even from the future, a concept she had trouble with, caused an issue. From what she knew of Ianto’s symptoms, the most recent trauma involved Jack. She already suspected it was complicated; Ianto’s mental health was off-limits.

Kylia stood and walked over to the other side of Ianto’s cot between him and John. “Everyone’s gone.” Tears welled in her eyes. She set her hand over Ianto’s. “Grandpa told me I wouldn’t remember.”

Ianto propped himself up and set his free hand on hers. “Grandpa got it backward. You remember and I don’t.”

 

** Torchwood Nova Scotia; Truro, Nova Scotia, Canada **

Eryn Sylla stopped outside her brother’s bedroom door. Things had changed so much for them since leaving South Africa, she had no idea what was going on with her twin. Their father died in May; Kailen had trouble coping. The changes escalated after Aman’s birthday in July. She expected Kailen to explain. Instead, he was spending more and more time alone. Aman wouldn’t talk about it.

“I’m coming in.” Eryn doubted she was walking in on anything. 

Kailen sat on the bed reading a book. The other side of the bed was still made. The clutter really made her wonder. Her brother was messy. Aman wasn’t.

“We need you. Luc is having trouble with the science. He can’t do the computer stuff too.”

Kailen shook his head.

Eryn crossed the room. “What’s going on?”

“Stress.”

“Yeah.” She motioned around the room. “When did Aman move out?”

“I don’t want to talk about it.”

Eryn sat on the edge of the bed. “I got that. We haven’t talked much since De Waal Park.”

Something flash across Kailen’s face.

“What happened?” She held up her hand. “I don’t want to hear it. What happened?”

Kailen set the book side. “I accessed future Torchwood files.”

“Yeah.”

“I wasn’t suppose to survive De Waal.”

“What?”

“It’s in your Torchwood file, Er. I didn’t survive.”

The first question that came to mind was why she had a future Torchwood file. “You’re alive.”

“I’m not supposed to be.”

“Mr. Zhao changed that. Life isn’t that horror movie where death stalks you. It happened differently. You lived.”

Kailen shook his head.

“What happened between you and Aman?”

“I asked him to marry me. It’s legal in Canada.”

Eryn knew she missed something. “You’re afraid of dying, so you asked Aman to marry you?”

Tears welled in his eyes. “It’s Idrissa from Nigeria.”

“Kailen, I’m not following.”

“The other Aman was involved in Idrissa. He came to Nova Scotia to confirm Aman was alive. I’m not sure why. I think he intended to go after Torchwood or Jack, and someone told him Aman from this time was still alive.”

“You want Aman to marry you because you’re afraid he’ll leave you for Idrissa.” That made as much sense as anything else her brother had said. 

“I can’t compete with him.”

“I’m not following this Kailen. Idrissa, the guy at the Nigeria Torchwood office, is thirty years old. The Aman he was involved with was older. Why…” Eryn shook her head.

“He’s picking up Aman’s network. Torchwood Nigeria.”

“Kailen, this makes no sense whatsoever. You’re alive. Aman is not leaving you for a man he barely knows.”

“He talks to him all the time.”

Eryn sighed. He sounded more like a teenage girl than she did. “I will talk to Aman. I will talk to Idrissa, if needed. But right now, I need you to get your act together. The readings in areas around the ship are insane. Luc’s having trouble figuring it out. We need you.”


	29. Chapter 29

** Torchwood Three; Cardiff, Wales **

Jack Harkness sat in the conference room reviewing information on a tablet from the data device John brought back. Dmitri Petrescu sat at the other end of the table. The infirmary wasn’t an option and he wasn’t interested in sitting in the garden. 

“What is this?” Dmitri looked at another tablet.

“A bbreachbetween universes caused by an alien quantum entanglement device detonating.” Jack wasn’t sure he understood. “The person who died in the explosion was from another universe. His and our universes collided and disrupted devices on either side of the barrier.”

“Torchwood has gotten stranger.” Dmitri’s expression sad he had no idea what was just said. “Anyway to contact your friend with the magical screwdriver.”

Jack hoped he hadn’t described The Doctor that way. “I said that?”

Dmitri nodded. “Now you had gotten into a drinking contest with Vlad and had enough Vodka in your system to kill a professional drinker twice your size.”

Jack couldn’t help but laugh. 

The door opened and Gwen entered. Jack looked up as she made her way around the table and sat across from him.

Jack’s humor faded. “How’s the infirmary?”

Gwen shook her head. “Am I the only one having trouble with Ianto having a granddaughter?”

“Bree.” The psychiatrist would be asking a lot of questions before to long. At some point, he would have to explain why he hired her. 

“I have crazy to add.” Gwen sighed.

“Should I leave?” Dmitri asked.

“No.” Gwen hesitated. “I had another dream, Jack. I didn’t mention it because I wasn’t sure…”

Jack held out his hand across the table. “Tell me.”

“It was in May. I dreamed of a really strange place. I was walking through this garden with bizarre animals and alien plants. A monkey was perched on my shoulder. There was this ridiculously overdone hunting lodge. Rhys was sitting at a table with a map talking about a barrier. The dream ended with Kylia telling me her grandpa was worried and purple mist surrounding her.” Gwen set her hand on Jack’s. “I talked to Nessa about Morpheus.”

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

“A list of reasons. The man who died of the sand embolism was killed by Morpheus or a being like him. There are stories of him killing people in their sleep with sand.”

Jack grabbed his mobile and selected Luc from his contacts. 

“Sarkisian.” He sounded tired.

“Have you found a hunting lodge in the Atmore Preserve?” 

“There is a building at the center of the boundary. We don’t know what it is. The drone was damaged by a possible attack. If it hadn’t had a portal device, it would have crashed. We have reports of a plane crash around the time the preserve was restricted.”

“I need the details.”

“Aman will send them. Kailen and I are trying to figure out how to shield a new drone. General Williams is producing two more of the first drone designs.” 

“Do you have clear pictures of the area around the building? Or any of the animals?”

“Yeah. We have thousands of photographs.”

“Any monkeys?”

“Monkeys?” Luc had no idea. “I will ask Eryn. She’s organizing the pictures.”

“I need clear pictures of the area around the building and any monkeys.”

“Do I want to ask?” Luc sounded like he didn’t want to know.

“No.” The call ended.

“What does Rhys’ disappearance have to do with Tasmania?” Gwen withdrew her hand and sat back.

“I don’t know.” If the problem in Tasmania was caused by a Rift in another universe, then the two versions of the Rift could be interacting. With the information, John brought back, and the fulgurite situation, he suspected it was a lot more than two universes. Luc was having enough trouble with Tasmania. He wasn’t ready for a multiple universe puzzle. 

“There was more than one person in that dream with Rhys. I need to find photographs of the other missing people. If I recognized Kylia, I might recognize others.”

“What condition is Kylia in?”

“She’s not answering questions, Jack.” Gwen shook her head. “She’s a traumatized little girl. At some point, she is going to figure out he’s not her grandfather.”

“She should know that.” Dmitri sounded like he was unsure if he should speak. “Ianto’s what thirty? People are getting married and having children in their mid to late twenties now? That would mean her grandfather would be in his mid to late fifties. Possibly sixties. Unless he doesn’t age like Jack, she shouldn’t have recognized him.” 

“I’ll have Anwen ask.” 

 

Anwen Williams returned to the infirmary after a quiet conversation with her mom. It wasn’t surprising they had questions about Kylia. Until her mum commented on it, she hadn’t wondered how Kylia recognized Ianto. Her life was so strange, John could return from the future with a child from a parallel universe and she didn’t question it. She did question her reaction. Either she was connected, to John again, although she couldn’t see how, or it was a test run for a Carrie reenactment. Neither appealed.

Bree and Ianto were still across the room. She clearly remembered following Ianto around when he came back. He was scared and broken. She hadn’t thought much about the fact that future Torchwood changed the future and brought him back from the dead. Her father’s jealousy and later Uncle’s Jack’s happiness were more important to her. At some point, it occurred to her that she should look up PTSD. The information online explained everything except Ianto’s ability to handle the job that caused the trauma. She could only guess that his way of coping, which appeared to be taking care of everyone, made it possible.

She sat on the floor between Kylia and Trefor. Her mum brought a bag of toys from Ianto’s office. Trefor hadn’t cared for the doll she talked Ianto into getting, but Kylia liked it. When Ianto was feeling better, Anwen figured she’d mention getting more dolls. There was a custom shop in town that could produce a baby doll with Kylia’s skin tone and green eyes. Which reminded her of the conversation she’d had with Ianto. Maybe time changes would let her have kids someday. 

“Is grandpa okay?” Kylia asked quietly.

“Yeah. He gets afraid sometimes.”

Kylia nodded. “I do too. At the hospital, the doctors would whisper with my mum and dad. I was really sick. Mum told me I’d get better.” She shook her head. “I knew I wouldn’t.”

When she introduced Kylia to Bree, the girl mentioned not liking doctors. Bree assumed that meant shots. She had to. “Your mum was right.”

“I’m not supposed to talk about it.”

“With strangers. We’re family. Your grandpa and our uncle.”

“That’s weird. Grandma Lisa isn’t here?”

“No. It’s a really long story, but things are different here.”

“Grandpa said they would be.”

Anwen couldn’t imagine. John would have an idea of what she was going through, but she couldn’t see him consoling a six year-old. “It’s important that we share information. If you got sick again, we’d need to know what was wrong.”

Kylia shook her head. “I won’t get sick again. I’m protected.”

“By who?”

“This beautiful lady. She said she’s connected to grandpa’s ancestors. As long as I stay on the island, she’ll protect me.”

Anwen wanted to believe that was a little girl’s fantasy. Ianto did a lot of searches for information about his family, mythology, and history. Something happened last Halloween. She’d seen Ianto change his shirt once after Trefor dumped juice on him. He had two marks on his chest that looked somewhat like tattoos. He wouldn’t talk about the marks, his teleporting cat or the owl feathers he kept that obviously worried him.

“Magic?” Trefor asked.

Kylia nodded. “We’re witches.”

Trefor looked at her. “Witches are real too?”


	30. Chapter 30

** Torchwood Three; Cardiff, Wales **

Gwen Cooper sat down at Ianto’s desk with her research on potentially related disappearances. She and Anwen had been unable to discuss Rhys. The general told her initially when she asked him to help hide her investigation that it wouldn’t work. He’d been right. Anwen modified her notifications and searches. She still marveled at her daughter’s approach. Even after finding out, it hadn’t changed. Except Anwen started note files and updated them if she found anything.

With Anwen’s help, she had fifteen possibilities going back more than fifty years. The woman she remembered clearly from her dream was wearing clothes from the sixties or seventies. Gwen estimated she was in her late twenties or early thirties. The woman wasn’t on her list. She checked Anwen’s notes. The list of missing Torchwood relatives might help. Anwen had slowly been working her way through a list for sixty years. People disappeared for any number of reasons, checking each one for circumstances and whether it had been resolved took time.

Her daughter’s missing person categories were unique. At the top of each file, she explained each custom category: deadbeat, stupidity, helicopter parents and Romeo-and-Juliet made her laugh. Others told her the material was to mature for an elven-year-old: homicide, domestic homicide, serial homicide, unsolved homicide, Torchwood-related and Torchwood protective custody. Keeping her from participating would be a full-time job and cause more problems.

One of Anwen’s entries stood out. Dawn Sowell disappeared in 1968. Scotland Yard informed a newspaper in 1969 that the woman died. A death certificate was on file. The Torchwood Institute had a contradictory report. She needed to see the information Anwen read. Anwen concluded the woman’s father created the death report and certificate to save face. Gwen quickly found the related Institute file. The investigator came to the conclusion Anwen listed, which made more sense. The photographs included with the report told her she’d found the woman she was looking for.

Gwen paged through the information. Dawn Sowell’s cousin Glenys Sowell worked for Torchwood Three from 1961 to 1977. After an argument with her father, Dawn hitchhiked a ride to Cardiff. Glenys filed a missing person report when her cousin didn’t arrive. The elderly driver came forward after seeing a newspaper article and told the police she dropped Ms. Sowell at a restaurant. Employees confirmed the driver’s report. Torchwood picked up the investigation after London pressured the Cardiff police department to drop the case. Scotland Yard dismissed the driver and other witness statements and said Dawn Sowell never left London. The Torchwood investigator first assumed the father was involved, but could find no evidence. He listed the case inactive.

The dream connected Dawn to Rhys. It was harder and harder to dismiss the dream. If the photographs from Tasmania matched, as she expected they would, she finally had a solid lead. Except there was nothing she could do. Nothing directly.

 

** Torchwood Nova Scotia; Truro, Nova Scotia, Canada **

Eryn Sylla had had as much stupidity as she could handle. Aman was showing signs of stress. Her brother needed to fix the mess he caused. When Kailen headed for the lounge, she grabbed Aman literally by the arm. She shoved him in the room with her brother.

“Kailen, I love you. You’re my brother, my twin. But you’re being stupid.” 

She shut the lounge door and then sat on the floor with her back to the door. If either of them tried to open it, they’d quickly get the point. She rested her arms on her knees and waited.

“What are you doing?” Luc asked twenty minutes later.

“Intervention.”

Confusion played across his face. “You shut them in a room together.”

Eryn nodded. 

Luc sat on the floor across from her. “Will that work?”

“Maybe. They’re not yelling at each other.”

“Did you send the photos Jack asked for?”

“Yeah. Why did Captain Harkness ask about monkeys?”

Luc shrugged. 

A table slid. Eryn stood. “We should go.”

Luc stood, looking confused.

“They worked it out.”

“I missed something.”

Eryn took his hand. “They’re going to get louder.”

“Oh.” That red crept up his cheeks.

“We could go rearrange the furniture in your lab.” Eryn laughed at Luc’s expression. “Breathe.”

 

** Torchwood Three; Cardiff, Wales **

Gwen Cooper looked up as the door opened and Jack stepped into Ianto’s office. He carried a tablet, presumably with photographs from Luc’s drone. 

“I found a woman from my dream. Dawn Sowell disappeared in Cardiff. Her cousin worked for Torchwood Three. There is no obvious connection to the Torchwood Institute. Her case does not meet the criteria I was using. Anwen flagged it because the details were weird.”

“Two slide shows. One landscape. One monkeys.” He set the tablet in front of her.

“Read Anwen’s notes.” Gwen handed him another tablet. 

She switched it on and tapped through pictures. “These aren’t right.” After a few more, she stopped. “You added pictures.” She held out the tablet. “That tree had a very strange cat in it. The chunks of color were a path leading to the door.” 

“The monkey?”

“How many of these did you add?” She tapped through more pictures. “That is a picture I took at the Cardiff zoo.” After several more taps, she held out the tablet again. “The monkey from my dream.”

“We needed to be sure.”

Gwen stood. “Now we are. Rhys is in Tasmania.” That much felt good. The hard part would be figuring out how to get to him. If it was simply another Torchwood office, Rhys would have called home long before three months.

“Luc and Kailen finished the new drone designs. The general will get them assembled and to Luc as soon as possible.” Jack offered a hug. 

Gwen hesitated before accepting. She couldn’t help but remember what Morpheus said. As much as she wanted to deny it, as she had in the dream, she knew it was true. Hugs she could justify. Anything else would destroy both of their relationships. Tears rolled off her cheeks. She’d betrayed Rhys before they were married and justified it with excuses. Jack said very little about her affair with Owen. One of the many secrets they shared. 

“What’s wrong?”

She lessened her grip and looked up at him. The truth would make the situation worse. “It’s too much.”

Jack looked at her lips like he wanted to kiss her. “You should go.”

Gwen fled. Morpheus said he could explain how to share dreams. He didn’t say it, but she suspected he offered it as a way to explore her relationship with Jack. What worried her more than anything was she liked the idea. Rhys deserved better than that.


	31. Chapter 31

** Torchwood Four; Dublin, Ireland **

** Wednesday, August 4, 2020 **

Keara Montfert entered the Dublin airport. The headache started again as the plane descended. After months of unexplained fears, nightmares, and pain, she was coping. Having to ask for directions to collect her luggage annoyed her. Using her ability would likely make the headache worse. 

“What’s Africa like?” The cheerful woman asked after giving directions.

“Peaceful.”

“Did you go on safari?”

“No.” She lived on a nature reserve that wasn’t open for tourists. They didn’t have safaris.

The woman looked disappointed.

“Thank you.”

Keara hurried. Too many people affected her ability. Everyone who bumped her or was to emotional resulted in images. The past, present, and future blurred in an unending mental picture. She had to stop twice: once for a small child about to wander off and again for an elderly woman having a heart attack. She didn’t mind helping. The added effort made it worse.

By the time she had her suitcase, she wondered if she’d have to take pills. The pain was more than she expected. Mr. Zhao warned her, suggesting she give it a couple more weeks. He had an emergency rescue and couldn’t accompany her. It had already been months. 

Stepping outside helped some. Living in Kenya gave her an appreciation for open spaces and sunlight. A skinny teenager with a three color Mohawk made her smile. She stepped back, allowing a tired father and his two teenage girls to pass. One wore all black. The other wore green. The local wildlife was different but equally colorful. 

It was so different than her last trip. She’d been afraid. Finding out she not only had a real ability but a powerful one gave her a different perspective. No one would threaten her again. Colin had been right about that much. She wished he’d live to see it. While she was fearful, he’d gotten them out of Nigeria, found a safe place in Cameroon and a way back to Great Britain. She suspected the Other version of her was behind Colin’s belief that the Prophet intended to kill Jack. As wrong as Colin was, his actions led to events that had to happen.

“Ms. Montfert?” The soft-spoken guy returned her thoughts to the present. 

“Yes.” She should have sensed him before he walked over to her. Whatever ability he had, it was strong and natural. 

“Malcolm Dove. General Williams asked me to meet you.”

Keara smiled. Trefor mentioned his new girlfriend and her family. “Please call me Keara.”

Malcolm offered to carry her luggage and she let him. “Are you all right?” He asked after tucking her suitcase and carry-on in the trunk.

“Just a headache.”

He didn’t believe her and insisted on helping her into the car. “You have a serious migraine?” He asked, fastening his seatbelt. “Oversensitive to everything?”

“Yeah.”

“Do you have medication?” He pulled away from the curb.

“Yeah.”

“We can stop for water and food on the way.”

“It’s not that simple.” The pills lessened the pain, but made her foggy and disrupted her ability.

“The infirmary is ugly. Molly and I won’t be there.” Malcolm hesitated. “You have met General Williams, right?”

Keara smiled. “Trefor would make an awful nurse.”

“Don’t risk it.”

She couldn’t help but be amused. “You have a lot of experience with stubborn?” 

“Yes.”

An image of his two sisters came to mind. His older sister could treat CN exposure by physical, possibly sexual contact. CN had been explained. It could create unnatural psychic abilities. His younger sister could temporarily throw fireballs after being exposed. Which reminded her of some of the questions the Refuge had. Malcolm was reportedly immune to CN. They wanted to know how.

The trip was uneventful. The headache lessened. She wasn’t sure if it was the lack of stress or Malcolm’s quiet disposition. He didn’t play music or ask questions. 

“Torchwood Four is different. If your ability is connected to the Cardiff Rift, entering the building can be disorienting. It’s alien technology with a strange power source.”

“I don’t have a Rift ability.”

“Then it shouldn’t bother you.”

“Good to know.”

“How’s your head?”

“Good.”

He didn’t look convinced, but he kept it to himself. He retrieved her luggage and led toward the entrance from the garage. The structure made her think of a space station from a horror movie. The smell, lighting, and colors would take some getting used to. While she wouldn’t describe it as disorienting, it did have an affect on her ability. The added background noise was similar to television static.

“Above ground, we have a garden. It’s not Africa, but better than this.”

“Are you empathic?”

“You started fidgeting when you passed through the first doorway.”

Keara smiled. Lying was not one of Malcolm Dove’s talents. “What do you do here?”

“Not much. Me and Molly are waiting to redo our senior year of secondary school.”

Keara had missed most of her secondary school years. The Prophet made sure she had an education. At some point, she needed to meet the teenage version of Aman Oliveira. He needed to hear a different version of stories about the Fellowship of Inner Peace. She owed the Prophet her life. She wanted Aman to know that.

“General Williams wanted me to show you to your room first. Torchwood is chaotic right now.” Malcolm led down a flight of stairs.

“Why don’t you call him Trefor?”

“He’s scary.”

Keara laughed. “He’s dating your sister.”

The lower floor looked much like the one they came from. Keara had no idea how Malcolm knew where they were going. Maybe he had the layout memorized. She was would get lost.

“Set your hand on the panel.” Malcolm motioned to the square on the wall next to the door. “It will open the door for you when you approach.”

Keara did as instructed. The computer announced it was programmed, and the door slid open 

Malcolm set her luggage inside the door. “General Williams can override the controls for safety reasons. He’s good about privacy.” 

Keara suspected Malcolm was intimidated by Trefor rather than afraid of him. He used the title out of respect. Much like she continued using The Prophet when thinking about the future version of Aman Oliveira. From what she’d read online about the Doves, Malcolm’s parents were worthless. She understood. The Prophet gave her a home and a family. Trefor had done the same for Malcolm.

“The toilet and closet doors will stay open unless you order them closed.”

“Thank you. Can I have a few minutes? It’s been a long trip.” 

“Take your time. I’ll be in the hallway.”


	32. Chapter 32

** Atmore Nature Preserve on Tas; Tasmania, Australia **

** Unknown **

Rhys Williams finished his morning chores. As he often did, he stood on the mosaic walkway next to the tree that reminded him of Torchwood Three’s garden watching the barrier shimmer in the distance. If the record he kept was accurate, he’d been there for two years. One minute he’d been in the bathroom at the St. David’s mall. The next he’d been trapped in the bubble surrounded by Torchwood technology and an alien garden. 

“Did the new woman stop screaming?” Rhys asked as Dawn approached. 

Dawn set a hand lightly on his back. “Yeah.”

“What do we know?”

“Not much. We think she’s from the future, not the past. What little she’s said so far is apocalyptic.” Dawn sounded uncertain. 

Rhys rubbed his face. “Namir is making progress.”

“Did you ask how he knows so much about WWII military and spy equipment?”

“No.” Rhys looked at her. “Why?”

“He lies as easily as he breaths.”

Rhys shook his head. “What?”

“He’s British originally, but from a newly established Israel. The Saudi Arabian girl is terrified of him.”

“I’ll talk to him.”

Dawn lightly rubbed his back. “None of this is your fault.”

“It feels like it. Whatever year is out there, we should be able to reach Torchwood. My…” Rhys trailed off. “Wife has to be looking for me.”

“It’s been two years.” Dawn wrapped an arm around him and hugged him. 

Rhys closed her eyes. He lost his resolve in six months. No matter how he justified it, he broke his vows. In the beginning, he told himself that after everything Gwen put him through, she’d have to forgive him. Saving his marriage, when they finally escaped, might not be possible. His family had to have moved on. He had no idea how Ianto would affect anything, but after two years, Gwen was with Jack. He’d come to terms with that at some point.

The com unit Namir gave him beeped. “Williams.”

“The radio signal is from some type of small, unmanned airplane,” Namir said. “Another one sent a message.”

“We have it?”

“Yes.” Namir sounded confused. “You were expecting a communication from Great Britain? It’s from Canada.”

Luc. He should have known the kid would be helping. “Give me five minutes.”

Dawn leaned up and kissed him. “You will get us out of here.”

Rhys wished he felt as confident as she sounded. From running a haulage firm, he understood logistics. They had charts and grafts and schedules for everything from the gardens to maintaining the well. Everyone able to work had a job and contributed. All but three survived. He’d been named leader early on as he was the only one with any type of business or management skills. 

What Dawn said about Namir could explain some oddities since his arrival. The only person who challenged the community’s leadership disappeared and hadn’t been seen since. Four people were injured by an unknown animal. The creature suddenly stopped hurting people. Everyone had secrets. It was the only control over the lives they had. He suspected someone with military or law enforcement experience was responsible. Natosha Gordieva, a Russian woman from the 1950s, had been his best guess. Although she wouldn’t admit it, she definitely served in the military. 

Rhys walked through the ridiculous ornate lodge and through the secret door to the technology room. Namir had taken it over soon after seeing it the first time. He’d sorted equipment, made repairs and started assessing their situation. Rhys had used what Torchwood technology he recognized but had no idea about WWII surplus.

Namir motioned toward a seat. After Rhys sat, he tapped a button. “Rhys, I hope you get this.” Luc sounded tired. “The newest drone model can bypass the interference. We’re modifying designs as quickly as we can in Nova Scotia and sending them to General Williams to build. We’re pooling resources with everyone we can.” He paused. “If you can receive, we’re hoping you can send. The drones will keep flying overhead. If you can’t send a message, do something. An energy pulse, static, lights. Anything. Gwen and your kids need something to keep them going.”

“He sounds to young for military.”

“Torchwood. The organization my family is connected to. He’s at the Canadian office.”

“General Williams? A family member?”

“A long story. He’s in charge of the Dublin Torchwood office.”

Namir asked what drones were. Rhys explained the best he could.

“Would he understand Morse Code?”

Luc might not, but his computer would. Namir didn’t understand computers. “Yeah.”

“What should I send? It should be short and identify you.”

“How short?”

“Several letters.”

Rhys took a pen and wrote, “Caru Chi.”

“Is that Welsh?”

“Yeah.” He didn’t understand a lot of Welsh. He wasn’t even sure if ‘love you’ was said that way. The computer would translate or Ianto would.

 

** Torchwood Nova Scotia; Truro, Nova Scotia, Canada **

** Sunday, August 8, 2020 **

Kailen Sylla woke to Aman’s hands on his shoulders. It took a moment to realize he’d dosed in his office. “What time is it?”

“0300.”

“Sorry. I should have come to bed.”

Aman rubbed his shoulders. “Find anything?”

“I think the Atmore landscape is changing.” Kailen closed his eyes. “You’re going to put me back to sleep.”

“You should be sleeping.”

“I was trying to figure out why the readings were different.”

“It can wait.” Aman patted Kailen’s upper arm.

Kailen stood. 

The computer chimed as Kailen moved around his chair. He reached over and tapped keys to receive the notification. It played some type of beeping. He viewed the description and concluded it was artificial. It could be a message. 

“Morse Code,” Aman said.

Kailen quickly ran a comparison. “What language is that?”

“Type it into Google Translate.”

It took Kailen longer than he would have preferred. “It’s Welsh.” He motioned at the screen.

Aman read over his shoulder. “A response to Luc’s message.” 

“Why would Rhys reply that to Luc?”

“It’s for Gwen and his kids.” Aman kissed the top of Kailen’s head. “Go to bed. I’ll wake Luc.”


	33. Chapter 33

** Dreamscape **

Gwen Cooper looked around the beautiful spring scene for Morpheus. It was the same location as the other dreams with few differences. She wondered what it meant to him. He paced in a circle, with rigid postured and balled fists. The horns and black wings did look like a demon. An angry demon with glowing lavender eyes.

“What happened?”

“Pierro,” he grimaced at the name, “Was part of a group in what you call London.” He stopped and tilted his head to one side. “He is the man who attacked you because you found Mari.”

Gwen had many questions. She didn’t want to anger a man capable of killing through dreams. “What did the group do?”

He exhaled sharply. “I do not mean to scare you. DCI Lacene Harpham is missing.” 

She forgot he could read her mind. “How do I find her?”

Morpheus shook his head. “I don’t know. The men who do this can hide from me.”

“I need something to work with. Names, locations, details. Something.”

“The group runs sleep studies.”

“Is that how they find their victims?”

“Yes.” Morpheus nodded.

Gwen needed to find out how research studies were approved. Moss-Probert, the Fellowship of Inner Peace, and the Heritage Foundation all found victims that way. Perhaps Kailen could find a way for Torchwood to track them. “What are they looking for?”

Morpheus hesitated. 

“In order to investigate and ideally find Harpham, I need as much information as you can give me. Who, what, where and why are important.”

“The group is looking for women with psychic abilities associated with sleep. There are drugs, bad drugs, that can augment psychic abilities.”

“These abilities would allow a person to violate another’s mind through their dreams?” Gwen didn’t want to think about what a person with that ability could do or how hard it would be to find them.

“Yes.”

“Does the group know about you?”

“I don’t know.”

Gwen hesitated. “If you knew who Pierro was, why couldn’t you deal with him before he was in jail?”

“The group can hide from me. I am not all powerful. When he was arrested, the constables removed his protection.”

“Is it a device?” Gwen held up her hand. “I do not want odd devices at the police station.”

Morpheus nodded.

A thought occurred to her. “Do you have names of other victims?”

“How will that help?”

“If I have names, I can possibly find sleep studies they were connected to.”

“I don’t want the women demonized. None admitted psychic abilities.”

 

** Torchwood Three; Cardiff, Wales **

** Saturday, August 7, 2020 **

Jack Harkness entered the conference room and found Dmitri waiting. He had a tablet and an annoyed expression. 

“I want my own place. I don’t want to be here alone when your psycho ex in the infirmary wakes up.”

Jack laughed. 

“I’m serious, Jack.” Dmitri shook his head. “I want my own place.”

“In time.”

The computer announced an incoming Internet call. Jack tapped the button to accept it. “Good morning.” He checked his pocket watch. It was early for a call from Nova Scotia.

“Is Gwen in yet?” Luc asked.

“No. Why?”

“One of the drones got a response.” Luc sounded more than tired. The strain was getting to him. “Morse code. Seven letters. Two words. C A R U. C H I. Google says it’s Welsh and translate to ‘Love You.’”

“Good job.”

“I sent a copy of the message and the data that came with it. A full review will take hours. Kailen was sleeping at his computer when the results came through. I’ve had three hours in two days.”

“You did good, Luc. Go back to bed.”

“Please let them sleep,” Eryn said moments before the call ended.

“How old is he?”

“Barely eighteen.”

“Who’s running the office?”

“Eryn, the girl you heard at the end.”

“They’re too young for that.”

Jack sighed. “Luc was the sole survivor of the Nova Scotia office at fourteen, including both of his parents. I had no idea until he called for help last year. He has an aunt he paid to be his guardian for four years. Under other circumstances, it’s not a problem. But Rhys was kind to him when he lived here for months. I don’t know how he managed. He didn’t tell us everything.”

“Did you know his family?”

“His mother. Ruthie Beaupre was twelve when I met her in London. I always saw her as a kid.” He’d found notes about the British Virgin Isles case with the dragons that jogged some of his memories. She’d been engaged to Luc’s father in 1990.

“He needs a break,” Dmitri said.

“Yeah. We all do.”

 

Gwen Cooper found Jack in the conference room after checking with Ianto. She needed to talk to Jack about more than the dream and the new information. The kids were too much. She knew Ianto could adjust to Kylia under less stressful circumstances. Jack was another story. He wasn’t used to living with a child. She wasn’t sure how Anwen and Trefor would react to Kylia staying with them, but Gwen suspected she’d have to offer soon.

“Luc sent an update.”

Dmitri stood. “I can step out.”

“No. I have information you need to hear.”

“I will be in the hallway.”

Jack motioned toward a seat next to him. “It’s good news.”

“Rhys?” Gwen sat.

Jack repeated what Luc told him.

Tears welled in her eyes. “Anwen wanted to learn Welsh. Rhys tried.” She shook her head as tears streamed down her face. 

“Luc and Kailen both need sleep. It will probably be tomorrow before they have a chance to review the information. I need to contact Aman at some point. We may need to send Bree to Nova Scotia.”

“Bree can’t handle Dmitri, Jack. Aman will scare the hell out of her.”

“I can talk to Aman about it. Or Eryn, if they’re admitting she’s in charge.”

“The general predicted that. I still can’t see it.”

Jack handed Gwen a box of tissues. “What’s your information?”

“I had another dream.” Gwen dried her face while she explained. “You need to find out if Dmitri can handle an autopsy. Pierro, both women and Jorel Baughn need to be reviewed.”

“Baughn?”

“We need an idea of what was done to him. Luc confirmed CN through blood work. We don’t have specifics.” Gwen tossed the tissues in the trash. “If this drug-enhanced-psychic bullshit is going to be a recurring theme, we need to to be able to identify research type by the victim’s injuries.”


	34. Chapter 34

** Torchwood Three; Cardiff, Wales **

Dmitri Petrescu followed Jack wishing he’d stayed for the conversation. From watching Jack and Gwen, there was something between them. The message from Nova Scotia was guaranteed to be emotional. But it meant he had no idea what Gwen’s information was or what Jack wanted him to do. 

In the 40s before the trip on the Arctic Wind, he'd come to understand Jack as much as possible. They’d each had bad experiences young, and learned early to do what was necessary. He could lie, cheat and steal better than most. Jack was better. They both excelled at being con men, but he wanted to heal not hurt. From what he could find, mostly from online reports as his access restricted, Jack had been running the Cardiff office a long time. Otherwise, Dmitri would have assumed it was some type of con. Jack had military experience and leadership skills but was a con man at heart.

“You want me to autopsy something?” Dmitri asked as Jack lead into a lab with a metal cot that didn’t appear used.

“Yeah. We have four backlogged homicides. Two unidentified women are victims potentially associated with a group of researchers in London. Pierro, a male with an unconfirmed identity, killed the two women. Jorel Baughn has been determined to be a victim of a Torchwood black op group. We need specifics on what the torture and drug did to him.”

“Black op group?” Dmitri did not like the sound of that.

“Two Torchwood people faked their death around twenty years ago. They were researching a torture drug that has other uses. Ronald Beaupre is dead. Derrian Talbot is in cryo-stasis for planetary-level treason.” Jack held up his hand. “A very long story.”

Dmitri remembered what Jack said about Ruthie Beaupre and Luc. “How is Luc related to Ronald Beaupre?”

“Grandson. He had nothing to do with it.”

“You’re sure?”

“Yeah. Ronald Beaupre attempted to kill three of the four teens in Nova Scotia. He was also behind the attack that killed Luc’s parents. Luc helped track Beaupre and execute him.”

“That…” Dmitri had no idea what to say.

“Yeah. It was a bad situation.”

“Nova Scotia has four teenagers with probable psychological problems. Your boyfriend has shell shock; it’s a wonder he functions. I don’t want to guess what’s wrong with the girls. Dublin is run by your son with serious daddy issues. Is there anyone here that’s sane?”

“Bree.” Jack smiled. 

Dmitri shook his head. “I don’t see how she’s kept her sanity this long.”

“Give her time. Bree has worked with survivors of war zones. She’s stronger than she looks.”

“You don’t get that type of job unless you’re a survivor with similar experiences.” Dmitri hesitated. “Jack, this place is a powder keg.”

Jack used his wrist-strap. He then opened a panel and removed a body from the wall on a tray. “Her brain was dissected by her killer.”

“Great.” Dmitri shook his head. “I need equipment I recognize and access to medical books. I saw information on the Internet about digital textbooks. Is Oxford’s library accessible?”

Jack tapped his ear com. “Ianto, Dmitri needs access to Torchwood medical databases.” Jack listened. “Have Anwen set it up. Do we have access to Oxford? Or another medical school?” Pause. “Those were Owen’s connections.” Jack nodded and tapped his ear com again.

“What does any of that mean?” 

“Torchwood Three has a medical database specific to Three. The Torchwood Institute has files. We have direct access to libraries in the UK, including public universities. I will ask the general about the Republic of Ireland. He has a kid there familiar with medical schools. Eryn in Nova Scotia has been working on networking with libraries. She’s probably sleeping.”

“Dublin has more kids?”

“No. General Williams runs Dublin. Nessa has taken over the paperwork. Her younger sister, older brother, and his girlfriend are all long-term Torchwood observation situations.”

Dmitri had heard about Nessa. Dmitri shook his head. He’d known Jack too long to be surprised. “Equipment?”

 

Jack Harkness waited for Bree in front of the workstations no one used anymore. There were to many memories on the main floor. What John had done barely registered anymore. His brother Gray shot Tosh, and she bled to death talking Owen through securing the Cardiff nuclear plant. The government destroyed the hub with a bomb. Future Torchwood returned the hub. Future Aman breached the walls with biomechs. Payton Borthwick went on a rampage in the Red Dragon Centre and later used Three to access Four. Dmitri was right, it was a powder keg, and they all needed a break.

Bree entered carrying a colorful tote bag. She looked worried, seeing him waiting. “Problem?”

“Dmitri is preparing an autopsy. Gwen received information about the London/Cardiff serial case. It can’t wait any longer.”

“What do you need me to do?”

“Help Dmitri. He has access to medical records and current medical text. But his knowledge is outdated.”

Bree hesitated. “I haven’t done an autopsy since medical school.”

“Joint effort.”

“Do we have access to Oxford?”

“Yeah,” Jack smiled. “Dmitri asked the same thing.”


	35. Chapter 35

** Torchwood Three; Cardiff, Wales **

John Hart woke with a massive headache, and groaned. Everything hurt. The lights were to bright. Something buzzed in the back of his head. Even his skin felt weird. It took a couple minutes to remember where he was and how he got there. 

You’re awake. 

“Anwen?” He covered his eyes with his hand. Hallucinating was not a good sign. Except he could sense her. It felt like an echo in the back of his head. The feeling increased until the door slid open minutes later. 

“Computer, dim lights.”

John moved his hand from his face. It was tolerable. “Darling, I know you’re mad.” He could feel it. 

“You left.” Anwen sounded resigned.

“Yeah.”

She climbed onto the medical cot next to his. “I’ve been trying to contact you for months. Mum was hurt bad. I was sick for awhile. Dad disappeared from the mall. It took three months to figure out he’s trapped in Tasmania.”

“I didn’t know.”

“Where did you go?”

“Back to my life.” The woman he loved would have understood. Or he wanted to believe she would have.

“You were drunk.”

“Yeah.” One of the many things an eleven-year-old wouldn’t understand. “I’m not in restraints.”

“No. You have time shock.”

He was to sick to be a security concern. “How long was I out?”

“Five days.”

“Is the kid all right?”

“Yeah. Kylia’s fine.”

The door opened again and a man he vaguely recognized hesitated in the doorway. 

“It’s safe, Dr. Petrescu.”

“What are you expecting me to do?” John asked.

“Not you. Me. I threw another tantrum.” She sounded guilty.

“You need to be careful, darling.”

“I know.”

Dr. Petrescu walked over to John and reviewed the results. 

The tantrum wasn’t the only thing she felt guilty about. “What aren’t you telling me?” 

“Ken witnessed something at the mall the day dad disappeared. Uncle Jack got him transferred out of the hospital here and Bree helped him.”

Shit. “What did he witness?” He then wondered how she knew about Ken.

“An arse named Marvyn Tew exploded. Ken didn’t see it, but he knew it happened behind him.”

Which suggested the younger version of the general came into his ability. He vaguely remembered Anwen talking about the general developing it in primary school. “Has someone checked on Ken?”

“Weekly. It was my fault. Dad was worried about leaving me and Trevor alone when he went to the public toilet. As if. I saw Ken at the Disney store and thought that would solve it.” Anwen sighed. “When dad didn’t come back, Ken walked with us and checked the men’s room. Tew came out of the employee area as Ken was walking back to tell me dad wasn’t there.”

“From what I understand of these readings, Captain Hart, you need to stay calm and rest.”

Anwen slid off the cot. “Are the nanogenes still in his system?”

Dr. Petrescu held his hands up. He obviously had no idea. Jack must have hired the doctor recently.

“Move please.”

The doctor stepped back. 

“Rift energy, chronons, time distortion. Alcohol. Do I even want to know what the drug does?”

“No.” He wasn’t discussing sex drugs with her.

“The nanogenes are still repairing the damage.”

Dr. Petrescu reluctantly asked, “Will you explain it to me?” 

“Yeah.” Anwen walked him through the technology and the interface. From the sounds of it, she still retained some of his technical knowledge.

“I need to consult with Dr. Nelson. Does inventory offer descriptions?”

“Ianto would know. I leave the infirmary alone.” Anwen smiled. “Except the backboard.”

“It still plays Magic Carpet Ride?” John asked.

“Yeah. I programmed the front door to play theme music. Until Uncle Jack demanded I fix it.”

“I will be back.”

Anwen groaned. “Computer, activate intercom.” It chimed. “Ianto, Bree, Dr. Petrescu needs help figuring out infirmary supplies. John’s awake.”

“The information is in the hub’s medical database,” Ianto replied. 

“Give me a few minutes,” Bree said.

 

Anwen Williams waited while Dmitri and Bree unpacked medical supplies she hadn’t seen before, and set-up an IV. John had taken on biomechs and aliens and survived any number of insane things. Yet, faced with an IV he was a big baby. She couldn’t help but remember her mum getting on her dad’s case about a cold. It had to be a guy thing.

Bree motioned to Dmitri. From a conversation she overheard, they were working in the morgue. One of the few things she didn’t ask about or check on. Keeping bodies was a zombie movie waiting to happen.

Anwen waited until the door closed. “The infirmary plays music. I could find something loud, metal.”

“I needed to go.”

A table rattled in the corner. 

Anwen swore. “It doesn’t make any sense. You’re calm. I’m calm.” She shook her head. “Why am I getting angry?”

A tablet lifted off the table. She watched it shift in the air. “John?”

“A side effect of the CN.”

“You have a Rift ability?” She grabbed the tablet.

“After we were trapped in Four. I used it in Belfast to secure Molly.”

“A permanent CN bond.” Anwen shook her head. “How?”

“I don’t know.”

“Do you get angry and throw things?”

“No.”

Anwen wondered. “Natural abilities like my control of the Rift are stable. CN-caused abilities are emotional. How do you control it?”

“I don’t know.”

“If it’s the same as a temporary CN bond, it’s based on shared emotion.” 

“Nessa helped me come to terms with losing my Anwen. I’m not angry anymore.”

“I’m throwing telekinetic tantrums because I have a crush on you?” Anwen shook her head. “What kind of psychotic ability is that?”

“The kind you need to get control of, darling.”

“How?”

“You need to forgive me. I’m not your Uncle Jack. Saving the world isn’t who I am.”

“No. I need to accept you.” Anwen hopped off the medical cot. “I’m surrounded by screwy relationships.” She set her hand on John’s. “Ianto is trying to keep Uncle Jack out of trouble by going to these social events to flirt with women. My dad can’t accept whatever is going on between mum and Jack. The general and Nessa have figured it out, but from what I’ve overheard, I don’t want to know.”

“With that logic, I’m in a relationship with an eleven-year-old.”

Anwen showed her the necklace. “If you think that’s screwed up, I’m eleven and collecting engagement rings.”

“Other Keara’s ring. How did you get it?”

“I don’t know. I had one ring when I got dressed. Later in the day, I had two.”

“Did you scan the ring?”

“Yeah. Nothing.”

“Ask Jack if he has a way to scan for Liasi crystals.”

“Why?”

“I think the ring’s in tuned to you. When the future was destroyed, it found you.”


	36. Chapter 36

** Torchwood Nova Scotia; Truro, Nova Scotia, Canada **

Luc Sarkisian reviewed the drone data associated with the building in the Atmore Preserve. The response to his drone message didn’t prove it was Rhys, but definitely supported it. Unless Rhys learned Morse Code since he left Wales, there was at least one person with him. Gwen’s update on the missing person search indicated they connected multiple people to Rhys’s disappearance for reasons that hadn’t been explained. 

Jack provided information from an unknown source connecting the quantum entanglement device in Southeast Asia to the universe breach as he already suspected. The explosion disrupted devices on either side of the barrier between universes. Without more information, Luc suspected a connection to the device in the Red Dragon Centre car park.

A note about Nigeria made him wonder. How did Deselle get the device from Nigeria to the Arctic Observatory? After the Refuge raided the Fellowship of Inner Peace made the most sense. Except Deselle’s skill set didn’t involve burglary, nevertheless a secured Torchwood facility. Aman’s contact in Nigeria needed to review inventory. If he didn’t have access, Jack would need to go down there. They needed to know what was missing. Reviewing the Observatory was also necessary. He hadn’t thought to ask if Jack secured it after Southeast Asia.

Reviewing data specific to the building made him wonder. Having worked with Torchwood in Cardiff, he had a lot of experience looking at Rift energy. It was different, and out of range of Cardiff, supporting the idea of a second Rift. General Williams’ comments about Rift abilities in the area suggested the second Rift was active in his time line and not connected the quantum entanglement device and future Aman’s death. His original thought was inconsistent exposure to the Rift. Except the readings shifted consistently. Something was happening. The important question was what.

He needed Eryn. She pushed him to think in ways he normally wouldn’t. Which came with other problems he had no idea how to approach. He thought about her constantly. He’d barely socialized before he briefly moved to Cardiff. Reading magazines didn’t begin to explain what to say or do or expect. Dating local girls with normal backgrounds was complicated. Eryn came from another continent and had a family as screwed up as his. 

His mother had said more than once he was just like his father: old world manners and socially clueless. The door to his lab open, distracting him from his thoughts. “Up for discussing insane theories?”

“I don’t know.”

Socially inept or not, he knew something was wrong. Luc turned. Eryn looked uneasy. Not the same uneasy as she had when money came up originally. 

“What happened?” The way she hugged herself and stayed back really made him wonder. 

“I found out why Kailen and Luc stopped being asses about us… dating or whatever.”

He’d wondered that himself. “Why?”

“Kailen accessed future records Torchwood Three got from somewhere. It’s why Kailen thinks he should have died in De Waal.”

“I saw mine.” Luc had seen something about Torchwood Global’s space station or fleet. 

“All of it?”

“No. Why?”

“Kailen found something on your file. Uh, it listed you as married.”

“That’s a problem?”

“To me.”

Yeah, that was a problem. It was information they shouldn’t have. If it was truly the future, the knowledge would affect what was supposed to happen. “I didn’t see anything about being married.” Luc shook his head. “Why did Kailen tell you?”

“He’s talking about getting married again. Aman’s probably going to give in.” She leaned back against the wall. “Since we’re twins, he wants to have a double wedding. I don’t understand why he’s demanding a wedding. Saying we get married made even less sense.”

Luc wondered what he was expected to say to that.

“I’m eighteen. My one attempt at a relationship before… ended badly.” Eryn shook her head.

“I had nothing to do with Kailen’s wedding plans.”

Eryn laughed. It wasn’t the healthiest sounding. “I need to tell you something.”

“Why don’t we head up to the TV room? We can sit on the sofa.”

Eryn nodded.

Luc couldn’t help but wonder as they walked. There had to be a lot more to the situation. She looked really upset. It made him wish again that his mother was there. He would need to call Jack and ask who Eryn could talk to. The Rhys situation meant Gwen wasn’t up for it. The psychiatric might be helpful. From what he’d heard of General Williams girlfriend, she was likely a better option. Jack would know.

Eryn settled on the opposite end of the sofa from him and stared at her hands. It reminded him of when they first met. She had concerns about money and being obligated to him if he spent money on her. Once the money was resolved, and she got to know him better, the uneasiness or outright fear went away. 

She rubbed her upper arms. “When I was sixteen, I was dating this guy. The whole teenage girl bullshit. I loved him. I thought he was the one.” She emphasized the last word. “What I didn’t see were the warning signs: possessiveness, jealousy, and temper.” She hesitated. “I had a strange childhood. I can shoot a gun, identify the best brands of rope for things I don’t want to think about, and know that bleach is great for destroying evidence.” Eryn shook her head. “Being Chenzira Sylla’s daughter came with a kind of prestige. He worked for a very powerful man. There were expectations I would marry. For awhile, I thought I would marry my boyfriend.” Tears welled in her eyes. “I was the pampered daughter of one of Bashiri Oliveira’s lieutenants. No one would risk their wrath.”

Luc reached out slowly and set his hand palm up between them.

“I was wrong. Very wrong.” Eryn nodded. “I had no idea about controlling behavior or manipulation. I was the princess. If I said no, it meant no.” She wiped at the tears. “We’d had sex without a problem. But one night, Prince Charming wanted me to do some things he saw in a video. The kind guys hide from their mothers. I said no. He hit me.” She hesitated. “Dad made sure I could take care of myself and made it clear that no one had a right to hit me. I surprised the asshole by fighting back and escaped.”

“You’re safe here.”

“Yeah.” She reached out and took his hand without meeting his eyes. “I was scared. I went home and I told my brother. I told Kailen everything back then. He told dad. I don’t know what normal fathers do in those circumstances. Maybe they call the police. Not mine. I realized my brother told my father while reading a news article a couple days later online. Prince Charming was found shot to death in a ditch.”

That was the first time Luc understood her father. 

“When we went for coffee, I hadn’t been on a real date since then. I pretended to be Aman’s girlfriend. I was scared. My princess-illusion had been shattered. I was surrounded by dangerous men and their sons. Thinking back, I bet my father made it clear that I was off-limits.”

Luc had been upfront about his anger issues and family history. They hadn’t talked about it much. “Do I scare you?”

“No.” Eryn shook her head. “The idea of being obligated into a relationship and married…”

He lightly squeezed her hand. “You’re not obligated to me. My father always told me I should let the girl make the first move. That way they’re no misunderstandings.”

“I’ve been trying to get you to make a move.”

“Not happening. If Aman hadn’t pointed it out…”

Eryn laughed, the amusement reaching her eyes despite the tears. “I had to tell Aman my brother was interested in him.”

“When you feel up to it, we need to talk. I’ve dated some, but I’ve never had a girlfriend.” Luc shook his head. 


	37. Chapter 37

** Red Dragon Centre; Cardiff, Wales **

Ianto Jones wondered how three children were significantly more complicated than two. Riding the lift and crossing Bute Place between the Millennium Center and Red Dragon made more sense than car seats until he tried it. Getting Trefor and Kylia up the lift without a problem had him wishing he’d taken the car. He concluded they’d walk back to the garage instead of trying the lift again. 

Anwen was cranky after he insisted she let John rest. The flying pebbles were controlled, at least. Trefor kept asking questions, which wouldn’t have a been problem, except he asked about witchcraft and Russel the magical cat. Kylia couldn’t understand why she couldn’t call him grandpa and insisted on answering Trefor’s questions. 

“We are going for a normal lunch,” Ianto said. “Inside voices, table manners, no throwing food.”

Anwen chuckled, walking in front of him. “We don’t do normal.”

Ianto unfortunately agreed. “We will pretend.”

“Why?” Kylia asked.

Anwen answered before he could think of a response, “It’s not safe to talk about Torchwood stuff.”

“Superheroes need to keep their super powers a secret.” Trefor was looking at his sister.

The mothers he spoke to on social media often talked about the difficulties of outings. They described various bad behavior. One asked what the worst thing one of the kids had ever done. He had trouble answering, and opted for Trefor throwing blocks at him. He couldn’t share that both kids had psychic reflexes and could easy kill in self-defense. He suspected Kylia could defend herself but had no idea how.

Ianto stopped on the walkway passed the highway tunnel. “Normal. I work with your parents. Don’t talk to strangers. Don’t wander off.”

Trefor looked up, confused. “They can’t hurt us.”

“Ianto doesn’t want us hurting the strangers,” Anwen said.

“Yeah.” Ianto shook his head at Anwen.

“Can we have ice cream?” Kylia asked.

Trefor’s eyes lit at that idea. “Ice cream is normal.”

“Maybe. Lunch first.”

Mid-afternoon on a Sunday was crowded. Ianto kept a hand on Trefor and Kylia as they headed for the pizza restaurant. The stress was getting to everyone, and the kids needed to get out for awhile. Despite the crowd, it was close. If there was a problem, Jack and Gwen were minutes away.

“I want breadsticks,” Anwen said as they entered the pizza place from the centre.

“Four?” the hostess asked.

“Yes. Two menus.” Ianto thought of something as they followed the women. “Do you have a table against the wall?”

“Yeah.” She showed them a table in the back and handed him the menus. From the number of kids seated at the surrounding tables, he suspected families were being grouped together. 

“Thank you.”

He had Kylia sit between him and the wall. Anwen thankfully did the same with Trefor. 

Ianto handed Anwen a menu. 

“I want a menu.”

Ianto opened his menu between them. One of the numerous things that confused him about Kylia was her inability to recognize letters. He could only guess her previous health problems meant she hadn’t had much of an education yet. Trefor was three years younger and understood things she didn’t.

When the waitress arrived, she looked stressed. “Such good kids.”

“We’re pretending.” Anwen smiled sweetly. 

The waitress smiled back. “Are you ready, sir?”

“Yes.” He ordered and handed the younger woman the menus.

“The kitchen is asking for patience. It’s taking longer than usual.”

Ianto nodded. “Do you have crayons?”

“I’ll ask.” She looked apologetic. “We’re out of coloring sheets.”

“They have place mats.”

The waitress nodded with relief and hurried off.

“You’re worried about us?” Anwen motioned at a boy Trefor’s size jumped on a chair a couple tables over. 

Trefor stared wide-eyed. “I don’t do that.”

The waitress returned with a small box of crayons and apologized for only having one. Kylia and Trefor each grabbed a crayon and started coloring. Anwen was amused by the drawings. 

Ianto wasn’t sure he wanted to know. “What?”

“Weevil,” she said quietly, motioning toward Trefor’s project and then Kylia, “Hoix.”

Ianto sighed. At least they were quiet.

Ten minutes later, Kylia looked up suddenly. “Grandpa,” she whispered, “That woman is one of the Sisters.”

“Where?” Anwen asked.

Kylia looked passed Ianto. “Blue shirt.”

“Stay seated. Anwen, find your mobile.”

Ianto stood and met the woman’s gaze. Verity Holdsworth was in the mall the day Rhys disappeared and Trefor detonated Marvyn Tew. She looked nervous. Ken’s description of an earlier experience in the Disney store led to more information and a clear enough image to identify her. He’d seen pictures of her and Mercia Tew, in case either approached while he was with the kids.

“She’s afraid of you, Ianto,” Anwen reminded. “Be careful.”

“I’m sorry.” Ms. Holdsworth gripped her hands in front of her as she neared the table. “I have important information. I didn’t know how to contact you.”

“Wait outside the restaurant.”

She nodded quickly and hurried off.

 

** Torchwood Three **

Jack Harkness sat in his office reviewing reports. Gwen’s comments about Jorel Baughn and identifying types of research made him wonder if they’d missed additional cases because they hadn’t been looking. Baughn connected to other cases that had been covered up by London. Both Beaupre and Basanjo had connections to CN and London law enforcement. Beaupre did unethical experiments. Basanjo took human-trafficking orders and abducted people that meet his customers’ specific requests. The research projects could be a coincidence. Future Aman’s use of the same approach could indicate it was a simple approach for finding victims or his childhood experience with Basanjo could have given him the idea.

His mobile rang. “Harkness.”

“Uncle Jack.” Anwen sounded uneasy. “Verity Holdsworth is here. She said she has information and looks really scared.”

“Are you safe?”

“Yeah.”

“Do what Ianto says. I will be there soon.” Jack ended the call.

He grabbed his coat and headed for the door. “Computer, activate intercom.” It chimed. “Verity Holdsworth is at the Red Dragon Centre. Anwen said they are safe. Gwen, I may need back up.”

Jack went up the lift and jogged over to the Red Dragon Centre. The social worker was easier enough to find. She stood outside the restaurant looking terrified. Which immediately made him wonder if there was a safety issue that wasn’t mentioned.

“Ms. Holdsworth.” He approached slowly with his hands in front of him. “I’m Captain Jack Harkness with Torchwood.” 

She didn’t say much as he escorted her to the hub through the garage. Her fear visibly lessened as they passed through the secured door. 

Gwen waited just inside the sliding round door with the largest stun weapon they had. She held it upright, resting on her shoulder. It thankfully didn’t look charged. 

“Verity Holdsworth,” Gwen said coolly. “Gwen Cooper.”

“We’re going to the conference room.” Jack guided her by the arm. “Get Bree.”

“The kids were never in any danger,” Holdsworth said softly, “Not at the mall. Not today.”

 

Gwen Cooper entered the conference room in front of Bree and Dmitri. She stopped at the end of the table and rested her hands on the back of a chair. Jack sat at the other end of the table next to Verity Holdsworth. Bree sat on her other side. Dmitri opted to stand in a corner with his arms crossed. 

“What the hell do you want with my children?”

“Have you ever had to do something unthinkable? Unspeakable?” Holdsworth stared at the table. “Marvyn Tew crossed a line. He needed to die. Your children needed to know what Trefor could do. No warning or explanation would have worked.”

“Explain why my three-year-old needed to kill someone.”

“Your daughter’s connection to the Rift has been disrupted. Anwen doesn’t know it, but she can’t defend herself. When a group in London found out about it, she became a target.”

“What group?” Jack asked.

“I don’t know who they are. I’m not sure what they are.” Holdsworth shook her head. “DCI Lacene Harpham was investigating several murders. They got her. I don’t know how. Lacene is not an easy target.”

The group Morpheus mentioned. Gwen wondered. “What do they want with the psychics?”

“We’re not sure about everything. The ones killing appears to be crazy. They think certain sleep psychics are connected to evil creatures that can kill people in their sleep. They kill the sleep psychics in an attempt to defend themselves.”

“And the other psychics?” Dmitri asked quietly from the corner, startling Holdsworth.

“Genetic research. They target people with Rift abilities or the potential to produce children with Rift abilities. They use fertility treatment centers, manipulation of circumstances, abduction, and rape. We’re not sure how they’re targeting people. There are rumors they use psychics.”

Gwen met Jack’s eyes briefly. “Do they use drugs to enhance abilities?”

“Probably.”

 

Jack Harkness stood motioned Gwen toward the door. She followed him out of the room and down the hall. 

“Are you able to discuss it?” It wasn’t mentioned. They’d been drugged and left in a room together. Three days later, they came to their senses. He doubted she said more to Rhys than she had to. At the time, he’d discussed it with her husband. The pregnancy made it worse. 

Gwen stood with her back to him. “I don’t have a choice.”

“We don’t have to talk about it. I will do the follow-up.”

“I’m not ashamed of my son.”

Our son, Jack thought. “I didn’t say you were.”

“How could someone do it, Jack? How could someone justify…”

“I will find out.”

She cried. “Morpheus made me an offer, I didn’t mention. He told me he could teach me to share dreams. He can read my mind.” Gwen leaned back against the wall, slumped her shoulders and buried her head in her hands. 

Jack wondered what she meant. He suspected it involved him, but she was in no condition to explain. He gave her several minutes. “We will get through this.”

“No.” Gwen shook her head. “There is a reason I remembered Dawn Sorrell so clearly from the dream. She’s interested in Rhys.” She wiped at the tears. “I’m going to lose him, Jack.” Gwen looked up with haunted eyes. “After everything I put him through, I deserve it.”


	38. Chapter 38

** Atmore Nature Preserve on Tas; Tasmania, Australia **

** Unknown **

Rhys Williams watched the sun set on the horizon. One of the many things they didn’t understand about their situation. A teenager from Hong Kong was the first to notice the sun rose and set at the exact same time every day. The kid pointed out it was proof of an artificial environment because it wasn’t possible in nature. After all the years connected to Torchwood, he knew better than to dismiss something as impossible.

Namir entered intentionally making noise. The young man refused to answer personal questions, which didn’t surprise him, but insisted he meant no harm. Rhys believed him. He opted not to ask about the missing man and creature. Making accusations wouldn’t resolve anything.

“We received another message.” Namir handed over a recording device. It was one of the few pieces of advanced technology he was willing to learn and use. 

Rhys switched it on. “Rhys,” Gwen said, “Luc said I could record the next message. We’re doing everything we can. The details are complicated. I’m sorry it took three months to find you. It’s going to take more time to get your out. If you can find a way to send more information, it would help. Who, what, where and why. We’ve been looking into other missing person cases. It would be helpful to know whose with you. We suspect everyone trapped there is connected to Torchwood, but haven’t figured out why. We need more information.” She sounded like she was crying. “I’m sorry, Rhys. You’ve forgiven me for so much. I love you.”

“I’ve been here more than three months.”

Rhys realized the mistake he made. He knew the situation involved time but assumed the time he experienced was the same as Gwen. Insane situations were her specialty, not his. “Can we send longer messages?”

“I don’t know.”

Rhys took a moment to think. They needed to prioritize information and provide it in short messages. “You understand WWII military equipment. I’m not going to ask how.” Rhys held out his hands. “We need an assessment of our situation to determine what information is the most important and get it sent as quickly as possible. Can you do that?”

Namir nodded.

“Not everyone is willing to share personal details. Get as many names, birth dates and last known locations as you can. Natosha won’t admit it, but she was Russian military or something. Do not broadcast anyone’s details who was military or shouldn’t have their information publicized.” 

Namir hesitated. “I need a list of any countries or social discriminations.”

Rhys hadn’t thought of that. “North Korea, Russia, anyone from the Middle East or a Muslim, anyone from a communist or fascist country, anyone with a government job, or is political refugees.” He shook his head. “I barely paid attention to international news.”

“What’s wrong with the Middle East?” Namir asked quietly.

“Religious conflicts. There have been a lot of terrorist attacks. It’s complicated.” Rhys exhaled sharply. “Extremists have increased everyday conflicts among races and religions. White nationalism has gained popularity in Europe and the US.”

“How prejudice is Torchwood?”

“It’s not. Captain Harkness is the most open-minded person you will ever meet. The concern is if anyone else gains access to the information we’re sending.”

Running footsteps interrupted Namir’s response. Dawn appeared in the doorway. “We have a new woman. She freaked out and it sent her into labor. Her water broke, so we’re sure.”

“How far along?” Rhys had no idea how they were dealing with a baby.

“Eight to nine months.”

“Where is she?”

“The dining room.”

Rhys walked around his desk. “Ask everyone if they have ever delivered or assisted with delivering a baby.” With only twenty-two people, he knew enough about everyone to know they didn’t have a doctor. He could only hope someone knew more about delivering babies than he did.

After the initial shock, their growing group organized. Rhys coordinated from the dining room. Collette, the oldest at sixty, settled in on the floor next to the pregnant woman who hadn’t shared her name yet. He made lists of everything he could think of and handed out assignments. They didn’t have baby clothes, but they had an alien machine that would turn wool from the animals that looked like a cross between goats and sheep, and recycled materials, into fabric and a sewing machine. They had to figure it out when Hana arrived and needed a new head scarf.

Dawn walked over. “Abby grew up on a farm. She said she’s delivered cows, horses, and sheep.” 

“Good. I know basics: breathing, contractions.” Rhys shook his head. “She needs a hand to hold and someone to calmly tell her she can swear all she wants.”

“You were there when your kids were born?” Dawn set a hand on his back.

“Yeah.” His focus had been Gwen both times. He read the books. With Anwen, there had been safety concerns after the 456 situation. The second pregnancy came with different complications and she didn’t want to take any classes or do anything that required answering questions. 

“Women have had babies in a lot worse conditions than this.”

 

** Torchwood Four; Dublin Ireland **

** Monday, August 9, 2020 **

General Trefor Williams woke to an unfamiliar alarm. He flipped open his wrist-strap and switched the light on and the alarm off. The readings were bizarre. Which he was coming to expect from Four. He transferred the information to a dedicated tablet on his nightstand. 

With a groan, he swung his legs over the edge of the bed. He checked the clock on the tablet. He needed more sleep. Jack’s latest research project was headache-inducing. The conversation started with his conception, and whether or not he knew the circumstances. That wasn’t a fun conversation the first time. As a teenager, he accused his father of seducing his mother. After everything, he suspected Other Keara’s involvement. That didn’t mean she didn’t get the idea from the London group they were tracking. Jack understandably wanted Four to run searches instead of Three. While it wasn’t fun, it was preferable to Anwen finding out. 

Reviewing additional details didn’t help. The alarm indicated a medical emergency at a Torchwood office. Except the general didn’t recognize the office. “Computer, identify the origin of emergency notification.”

“Tas.”

He had no idea what that meant. A ridiculous cartoon character came to mind. “Computer, location of Torchwood Tas?”

“Atmore Preserve, Tasmania, Australia.”

“Computer, locate communication options for Tas.”

“Tas is malfunctioning.”

He grabbed his mobile. 

“Harkness.” Jack sounded awake.

The general quickly explained the emergency notification. 

“Ideas?”

“None.”


	39. Chapter 39

** Butetown Pier; Cardiff, Wales **

Jack Harkness stepped out of the tourist office as Andy Davidson approached. There were few people outside of Torchwood he trusted. Andy had been Gwen’s partner on the Cardiff police force before she joined Torchwood. He’d assisted with information and various situations over the years. He was also one of the few people who knew about the drugging and the missing three days. He found them.

“Jack.”

It wasn’t something he discussed either. “I have a problem.”

“How bad?”

“Four years ago, the drugging. We have a possible explanation.”

Andy rubbed the back of his back. “Does Gwen know?” 

“Yeah. She can’t handle it.”

“How can I help?”

“Rumors. Have you heard anything about DCI Lacene Harpham’s London investigation into the multiple murder or her disappearance?”

Andy nodded. “Scotland Yard reached out for help. The FBI sent agents. Both disappeared. One was found alive and disoriented by homeless men a week later. The other agent is still missing.”

Jack wondered if that was Rex’s interest in the case. “Are there any leads?”

Andy shook his head. “I don’t know.”

“If you hear anything about Harpham, unethical research or unusual sexual assaults, I need to know immediately.”

“Rhawn Glas, Gwen’s old counselor, called three times in the last few months. She thinks there is a reproductive predator in the area. It’s a type of rapist trying to get his victims pregnant. The last time, she’d spoke to the fertility clinic. There was a break-in three years ago. It looked like religious vandalism. There is some kind of problem with sperm donors.”

“The police are investigating?” 

“No. That’s why Ms. Glas contacted me. A DC reportedly said there was nothing to support an investigation. I gave her the medical examiner’s phone number. Ms. Floyd has better contacts than I do.”

Jack couldn’t blame him. It didn’t sound like a Torchwood case, and Andy’s connection to Torchwood had caused him problems on-the-job. “From now on, any kind of case dismissed for questionable reasons, send it.” 

Andy nodded. 

“If anyone asks questions, we’re investigating a possible connection to the Heritage Foundation.”

“How’s Gwen?”

“Struggling. Between Rhys and the drugging case, she’s having problems.”

“I’ll call.”

“Thank you.”

“Jack.” Andy hesitated. “Everyone focused on Gwen. The need for rape counseling, the pregnancy. Gwen was not the only victim. Do not investigate this by yourself.”

 

** Cardiff Fertility Clinic; Cardiff, Wales **

A quick call to Rhawn Glas went better than expected. She agreed to make arrangements for a meeting with the office manager at the fertility clinic and called back half-an-hour later with an appointment. 

“Where are we going,” Ianto asked.

Jack patted Ianto’s leg and explained the meeting.

“Not that I mind.” Ianto set his hand on Jack’s. “I left the kids with Bree in the infirmary. It’s more likely they’ll listen to John.”

Jack drove in silence for several minutes. “You never asked about Trefor.”

“No.”

“The Cardiff PD received reports of a strange creature near a house.” Jack could still remember the abandoned house vividly. “Gwen and I arrived to investigate. It was a trap. At some point after entering the house, we were dosed with an unknown drug. We woke in the basement.” Jack hesitated. “Naked three days later.” 

“I’m sorry.” 

Jack turned into the clinic car park. “When Rhys couldn’t reach us, he called Andy Davidson. Andy found us. The abandoned house had a generator.” 

“Andy said something?” Ianto asked as Jack parked the car.

“Yeah.” Jack popped the keys out of the ignition. “He told me not to do this alone.”

Ianto kept a hold of Jack’s hand. “I can talk to an office manager and ask for paperwork.”

“I have to do this.”

“No, you don’t.” Ianto took the keys from him. 

Jack exhaled sharply. “I know Rhawn Glas and what we need to ask.”

“She was Gwen’s counselor? Does she know?

“Yeah.” 

Jack climbed out of the van, knowing he had to investigate. After four years, Gwen needed answers. He strode across the car park with Ianto close behind. He’d failed her four years ago. He couldn’t fail again.

Rhawn Glas, an older woman with curly black hair, waited in the otherwise empty reception area. She wore a short-sleeve blue shirt, revealing scars on her forearms, and jeans. Before recommending her to Rhys for Gwen, Jack called in favors for an extensive background check. Twenty years earlier, Rhawn had been through a hellish situation that most wouldn’t have recovered from. She overcame it and dedicated her life to helping other survivors.

Jack made introductions.

Rhawn shook Ianto’s hand. “Nice to meet you.” She then handed Jack a printout. “That’s a description of the rapist and the places he frequents.”

“Three definite and two possible. All five victims have children as a result of being raped and are afraid. They read articles about rapists having paternity rights and are terrified of retaliation through family court.”

Jack read it and handed it to Ianto. “How are they linked to the clinic?”

“Behavioral similarities among the children. One of the fertility clinic parents came to my office for counseling. I followed up. We think it involves three men in the same family. The DNA results are screwy. So best guess.”

“Parents complained?” Ianto asked.

Rhawn nodded. “Complaints happen for any number of reasons. What opened a private investigation was an ugly divorce. The couple needed help conceiving but didn’t request a donor. The father, being an arse, accused his wife of infidelity. A DNA test of the child had unexpected results. The private investigator determined that the husband’s sperm sample was in the clinic during a break-in. Which lead to uncovering three other couples whose children didn’t match the expected donor profiles. They asked for light eyes and have children with brown eyes. Another parent complained because she chose an artist for her donor and has a math prodigy.” Rhawn shook her head. “All the children have Autistic-like behaviors and incredible aptitude for math or science.”

“We need as much information as possible. Files, DNA results.”

“Two couples, the  disappointed mother and one of the rape victims have signed releases.”

A tall, thin man in his fifties stepped into the reception area and motioned them back. He led to an office at the end of a short hall. 

Rhawn introduced Dr. Carne Humphries as they sat around his desk.

“What’s Torchwood’s interest?” the doctor asked.

“After the Heritage Foundation situation, we’re interested in crimes involving genetic manipulation in Cardiff.”

Humphries shook his head. “This type of crime isn’t specific to Cardiff. The break-in makes it unusual. There have been cases as long as there have been fertility clinics of men with access to donor samples switching them.”

“I understand the police dismissed the break-in,” Jack said. “Torchwood has resources the local police do not.”

“The police concluded religious vandalism. It sounded good at the time. Now with the new development, they should be interested and aren’t.”

“Do you still have sperm samples from the time of the break-in?” Torchwood’s medical scanners could analyze and compare. 

“Yes. We isolated them as soon as we had reason to believe there was a problem. Current technology allows us to store sperm for as much as twelve years. Most of our donor catalog is suspect.”

“We may be able to resolve that.” 

“That would be a relief. A few of our donors have died since donating.”

“Do have information on the samples that were replaced?” Jack thought it would be useful in determining intention.

“Yes.” Dr. Humphries hesitated. “We need to protect our donors' privacy.”

“Captain Harkness has investigated genetic and reproductive crimes,” Rhawn injected. “He understands.”

“Good. I wish I could give you profiles of the offenders. DNA tests will have to be repeated. We used an independent lab and the results are contaminated.”

Pierro, Jack thought. The lab Dr. Floyd used questioned the validity of the DNA tests. “Do you have the paperwork? We would like to follow up with the facility.”

 

Ianto Jones insisted on driving. He popped the keys in the ignition and sat back. “Are you all right?”

“I don’t know.”

“When you’re ready to talk, I’ll listen.” Ianto wished Jack had mentioned it earlier. It explained a few things. Jack and Gwen were going to have to deal with it. Ianto suspected the general’s description of his family, his opinion of Jack and himself were a result of unresolved issues. Rhys had to see the attraction between Jack and Gwen. The version of Rhys that rejected the general as a child was probably reacting to it. Ianto knew from experience what irrational jealousy could do.


	40. Chapter 40

** Dreamscape **

An owl flew overhead, screeching. Something about was different about Morpheus’ spring scene. The sun was bright and the air was warm. Yet, it felt off somehow.

Without warning, Morpheus landed several feet from her, his wings stretched out behind him. “Do you have news?” He demanded. 

Nice to see you too, Gwen thought. “Some.” She explained what they’d learned from Verity Holdsworth. “Are you familiar with the Sisters or the Garden of Celestial Souls?”

“Yes. They mean well. The Sisters don’t understand as much as they think they do.”

“Holdsworth information lead to evidence of a breeding program.”

“Oh,” Morpheus sounded like he just realized something. “I’m very sorry. I didn’t realize.”

“Was Pierro human?"

“A difficult question. They have modified their genetics with alchemy.”

“Science and magic?” Gwen asked.  


“Yes.”

“What do they want?”

“Power. If they can use the sleepers, they can influence people.”

“Why did they choose dreamers?”

“Every strength has a weakness. Dream psychics are powerful while they’re asleep.”

“They can’t control other Rift abilities? Or not as easily. What do they want with Lacene Harpham?”

“She has information about the Sisters, possibly their underground and Scotland Yard,” Morpheus said.  


“Harpham is a dreamer and one of the Sisters’?”

“Yeah.”

Gwen nodded. She couldn’t help but think about what he said about weaknesses. “What is Pierro’s group weakness?”

“The process they use for modification is inconsistent. They don’t understand it. Pierro was not mentally stable and the transformation worsened it.”

“Is there anyone who would give us information?”

“Ask Colina Dove about tainted souls and alchemy.”

Gwen wondered what else she should ask. The alchemy made her think of the lamp and Kylia and reminded her of the dream she had about Rhys. “You gave me a dream of Rhys where he’s trapped. You said you could teach me to share dreams. Can you connect me to my husband?”

“Yes.” Morpheus hesitated. “You need to make peace with your paramour.”

“No. I need to find my husband.”

“It’s not an easy thing to do without both people initiate dream-sharing. The connection must be strong from both sides.”

Gwen nodded.

“Do you have something of his next to where you’re sleeping?”

“Yes.” His things were all over their room.

“This will be disorienting. No matter how strong the connection, your husband will view it as a mental intrusion. He may fight it.”

 

The world shifted around her in a dizzy swirl of color. When it stopped, she was standing in the old flat she shared with Rhys before they were married. It looked and felt the same. She wanted to think her life had been easier than, but it hadn’t. She’d lied, kept secrets and endangered Rhys’ life. The job she wanted to hold onto so badly took over their lives.

“What is this?” Rhys stepped from the bedroom, eying his surroundings.

Gwen rushed across the room and hugged him. 

“Gwen.” Rhys wrapped his arms around her. “Is this real?” 

“It’s a shared dream.”

Rhys kissed the top of Gwen’s head. “How long do we have?”

“I don’t know.”

“I want to ask about you, our kids.” Rhys set his forehead against the top of hers. “We have a newborn here and his mother needs medical attention. It’s not good.”

“Can you tell me about your location?”

“It’s a Torchwood office hidden in a ridiculous hunting lodge filled with trophies, pictures, and a chandelier. There is a secret room with WWII military equipment and some Torchwood technology. The surrounding garden has alien plants and animals. One tree looks like one in the hub’s garden.”

“Do you have supplies?”

“Enough. We’re growing food. We have hundreds of books on plants, and a storehouse of seeds. We have a well for clean water. Basic personal items and hygiene products are problematic.”

“How many people?”

“Twenty-four adults and the baby.” He remembered something. “There is a time problem. It’s been three months for you. I’ve been here for two years. We have people from all over the world and different times.”

“Anyone stand out?”

“Natosha Gordieva is Russian military or something from the 1950s. Namir is Israeli, possibly military or a spy, and understands WWII military equipment, but has no idea about more advanced technology.”

The apartment shook around them, and the dream started fading.

“We are doing everything we can to get you out, Rhys. I love you.” 

“I love you.” Rhys kissed her as the dream disappeared.

 

** Hughes Flats; Cardiff, Wales **

Ianto Jones woke startled and reached for Jack. After the day Jack had, it wasn’t surprising he hadn’t come to bed. Ianto climbed out of bed and grabbed his shirt from the nightstand. He found Jack at the kitchen table. The office had been turned into a bedroom for Kylia.

“You should come to bed.”

Jack sat back. “Bad dream?”

“No.” Ianto set a hand on Jack’s shoulder. “What are you researching?”

“Research projects. The Heritage Foundation had connections. There was a similar organization in Nigeria two years ago. The Fellowship or the Refuge shut it down violently. Hobert, the largest city on Tasmania, has an active organization for genetic studies in the region.”

“More black-op sites.”

“I don’t know.”

The door to Kylia’s room opened. She stepped into the main room wearing the princess-nightgown and fuzzy pink slippers Anwen picked out for her. “The voices woke me.” Kylia rubbed her eyes.

Ianto crossed the room. He could sense the magic before he reached her, and wondered if that was what woke him. “What are they saying?”

“That the universes needs fixed points. Something disrupted the fixed points.”

Ianto picked her up. “Back to bed. You need sleep.”

“I want to be a superhero.”

Ianto carried her back into her room. “In the morning.”

“What’s a Time Agent?” Kylia asked sleepily. “Anwen says they’re better than James Bond.”

“Sleep.” Ianto kissed her forehead and tucked her in. 

Jack was pouring himself a cup of coffee when Ianto returned to the kitchen. 

“Have you been drinking coffee all night?”

“Yeah.”

Ianto hugged him, pressing his head to back of Jack’s shoulder. 


End file.
